


July

by JDBeckett



Series: 365 Prompts [7]
Category: Original Work
Genre: F/M, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-01
Updated: 2014-07-31
Packaged: 2018-03-22 09:24:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 42,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3723682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JDBeckett/pseuds/JDBeckett





	1. A Flaw

"This is all nice and cozy but I think you forgot something and that is a rather big flaw in this big plan of yours." He turns to look at me, one brow quirked and I know he believes I'm just pulling his chain. I'm just teasing him. But there is a huge flaw in his plan and it amuses me, really. I suppose we could adapt but I don't think we'd live very long if his plan was what we had to work with to survive zombies. Not that either one of us believe in zombies and being demons we figure we could take them out easily anyway. We made this mock-survival plan with a human mindset, just like we see in most movies we've watched without Zora knowing we did. She'd have a fit.

"And what is that big flaw?" He huffs lightly, standing as tall as he can, which isn't much considering we're both rather short though I'm fine with how slight I am. We're just sixteen, we're not done growing up yet. At least that's how I see it. I snicker at the way he holds himself and he rolls his eyes at me. I'm glad we're back to doing this kind of thing together. For a while I'd been worried that we really were drifting apart and the thought terrifies me.

"Agni, you've set it so that we run and when we find a car, we take it." I pause, to let that sink in, hoping just a little that he might realize what this flaw is but he just keeps on looking at me, expecting me to go on. I sigh, exaggerating on the sound and I roll my eyes right back at him.

"For one, I can't drive. Can you?" He rolls his eyes gain.

"Mira, it's a zombie attack plans, if they do attack we take them out by fire and water, now think like a human!"

"I'm thinking like a human. I'm sixteen, I come from India but I spent most of my life on the streets because we couldn't afford a roof. The only times I've been in a moving vehicle I've been a passenger and never anywhere close to the driver's seat. I can't drive a car. What if we don't find the keys anyway, do you know how to start a car?" I raise a brow at him and he rolls his eyes, I know I'm about to win that one. 

There's not much that comes from winning this mock argument, it's just for the sake of things but it's there, really. He throws his hand in the air and if this was a cartoon, he'd probably flip the table. I can only laugh and he shoots me a look. Of course just seconds later he's laughing too and he shakes his head. This feels wonderful.

When we finally calm down, sitting side by side against his bed on his floor—which is surprisingly clean!—he shakes his head and looks towards one of his windows. "As is, if we were attacked by zombies, I could fry them and Zora could just keep the fire going and I could keep you safe behind me."

"I can fight just as well as you, Agni. I can fill them with water 'till they drown."

"But if they're already dead, I'm pretty sure they're not breathing so I don't think filling 'em with water is going to do much good."

I shrug and drop my head back against the bed, I guess he has a point. I'm a bit useless in a fight, I know. Not that he'd ever hold it against me. Never. He's not the type.

  


I don't know how long we spend just sitting side by side this way. It reminds me of when we were younger. We'd sit together under a bridge somewhere just waiting for Zora to come back when she said she was doing something somewhat dangerous and didn't want to involve us. I still don't know what it was she was doing and I don't think she'll ever really tell us.

When we hear the front door open and close, I move to stand up but Agni beats me to it and he holds his hand out. I take it and pull myself to my feet. He pulls me closer and hugs me tightly, I just hug him back as tightly as I can manage and rest my head to his shoulder for a moment. He's my brother, I don't want him to go anywhere away from me if I can help it at all.

"Let's go see what we might be able to do for dinner."

I smile at him and, walking side by side, we leave his still surprisingly spotless room, except for those few sheets of paper from earlier and we head out into the kitchen to help with the meal making. I'm not sure if I could call this a tradition but we do help with the preparation of every meal. If one of us is feeling a bit under the weather then it's all the more reason to help whoever is left standing strong.

That way we can also all decide and pitch in on the spices we might want and not one of us can say they don't like what was prepared. If we didn't like it, we should have said something about it during the preparation.

  


When I'm finally settling under my covers for the night though most of them are folded on the chest at the foot of my bed because it's so hard to stay cool, even with the AC and fans on, I roll over to my side and I come face to face with a pair of bright eyes staring at me from the edge of my bed.

I freeze, a scream caught in my throat and I know I shouldn't scream. Zora has to be up earlier than usual tomorrow and she needs her sleep. I stare at those eyes, trying to understand what they are, trying to think of who it might be. If I somehow stepped into a zombie apocalypse while I was settling into bed, it isn't funny.

Something clicks then and I swat out at those eyes and my hand connects with something a little squishy. I cringe somewhat but I bat at it again and it falls off the stool that had been set up against my bed.

By my door, I hear soft snickering and I turn the light on to stare at my brother as he stands there, looking amused in ways he honestly shouldn't. I roll my eyes at him and scoot to the side of my bed to look at the floor. A mask. Just an ugly halloween mask. I look back up to my brother and I roll my eyes before I do the only thing I can. I roll over to my other side.

"Oh come on, Mira, this was funny. You should have seen your face."

I stay quiet for a long moment, not honestly wanting to answer him. I just brace my shoulders and I set on ignoring him as long as I can.

"Mira, come on. It was just a joke."

"Just a joke to you maybe but I was moments from screaming. We both know what happens when we wake Zora up on the days she has to be up early." My voice is tense, just like the rest of me and I don't know why I'm trying not to cry. This thing did scare me for the half-minute it was there, my heart is still beating a mile a minute. I guess I'm feeling a little hurt that he'd do something like that to me.

"I'm sorry, Mira. It really was just a joke, I was sure you'd seen the thing on my desk earlier."

"Well I hadn't. Now take it out of my room and put that stool back where it belongs." Now my words are flat and I deflate. I press my face to my pillow as I listen to my brother pick up both the mask and the stool. He steps out but not before turning my light off.

"I'm sorry, Mira. Try to sleep well."

That's unlikely but I'm not all that cruel and I'm not out to make him feel guilty about this so I'll just try to sleep without any nightmares.


	2. Sterilized

I don't usually let him into my office or my work room. I was that way when I still was working the law, I just didn't want to chance him touching anything that could have been more than a little important. He understood that well and never really asked to see what it was like and how it was like when I worked.

I guess today is a little different and I don't really mind. I have no commission piece waiting for me, I just sent out the last one in its refrigerated box. Most clients don't require the box but this one has a fair distance to cross so the box was a bit more of a necessity. I don't mind. It's hardly more work to set that up, in the end.

He's been looking around but I give him that, he hasn't really touched anything. He's looked at my pantry, at my melting equipment, at my fridge, he's looked at my equipment (there is a lot of that) and he hasn't really asked any question. Now he's standing next to a slight box and I know he's about to ask a question, it's written all over his face.

I turn to face him, away from the small bit of cleaning I still had to do. He turns to me and I can only grin. He blinks but smiles sheepishly, as if caught in the act. "What's this do?"

Easing to my feet, I walk over to him and I look over his shoulder to make sure I'm looking at the right box. Wouldn't do to give him a wrong answer on this, after all. "That's the box I use to sterilize all my equipment."

He cants his head as if that answer makes no sense to him at all and I chuckle gently. I move to sit back on my working bench with a shrug. "Some clients want peanuts or this or that in their requested piece. Some other clients have allergies to these things so before I start working on the piece, I sterilize my tools to make sure that I can work with them without making anyone sick."

"You can't sterilize your tables though, can you?"

"Nope, that's why I have particular tops for particular orders. If I'm just working on chocolate I have this one table top I work on, it's marked. If I'm working with peanuts I have another and so on. I do wash all my equipment thoroughly between each piece though, just to make sure and not a single client has ever called me to tell me something they had ordered had contained stuff it shouldn't have so I think I'm good and safe to this day."

Finally he nods, looking over everything again before he steps to me and just half-sits on my lap. I laugh and curl my arms about his waist. "What was your most complicated request to this day?"

I cant my head, thoughtful, I suppose that is a good question. I've done full-scale replicas of people, sculpted out of chocolate. It's not that hard but it takes a lot of time. There is one thing though. "Not that long back, just a couple of months I think, this one father requested a full aquarium for his daughter's sweet sixteen. That in itself, not much an issue. The aquarium's glass panes I ordered from a friend who does sugar work. But the father wanted each and every fish to have a different kind of filling, he wanted some with liquid fillings, which are always a little more difficult, some with hazelnuts, others with caramel. I guess it wasn't complicated in a way that I knew how to do it all but it took a long time and a lot of hard work."

Again he tips his head, thinking back and I know the light clicks on and he remembers which one I'm talking about. He helped me deliver it, it was so big and fragile. We made it to the place with the piece intact and the father was more than happy with the work.

"Your simplest commission?"

I laugh softly at his question and I shrug. That could be just about anything. "Yael's piece for Quentin's birthday cake. Anything that only requires me to melt chocolate and mould it. Usual commissions take several hours, that's the norm. Those that only take me a few minutes up to an hour are easy. Anything that takes me several days I consider a bit more complex."

  


When we're done with the slight tour and question, he steps out of the working room, though I suppose it's should be more 'rooms' as there's three in all, and heads off towards the living room. I know he has a few things he's been needing to take care of though he's delayed seeing to them as long as he can. Some things should not be ignored, I know.

While he's off to the living room, I head to the back to check in on Adela. She's been a little slow lately and I worry about her. I know she's doing well as a whole, that's not the issue. I'm just wondering if she's not coming down with something. I'd rather hope not, I don't even know if there is a vet around these parts who could look her over. I might have to get in touch with an acquaintance still living in the states. I don't know that I want her over here at this point, Eoghan might not much care for her presence around. I'll have to think on it.

Some people might be afraid to spend time in this kind of room with a snake this size but Adela is different. She knows I'm different and she knows, or so I'd want to believe, that she wouldn't really manage to get much of anywhere with me if she tried to think of me as a snack.

Just outside the room, I take off my shirt and hang it up on the peg I have sitting there for that reason. It's hot and humid in her room and I'm more than a little glad I've managed to keep that heat and humidity inside. It's bad enough outside in this season that I don't know how we'd handle a heatwave inside.

The moment I close the door behind me, she pops out of her curled up spot. I don't know if it's the click of the door or that she just senses me presence, it doesn't matter much. She always comes to greet me and I'm more than happy to let her half-curl over my shoulder. She looks livelier today. She's moving more easily and that comforts me to no end. I know she's been eating, she hasn't left any sign of the food I've left out for her anywhere, except for when she's done digesting them, at least.

I chuckle and brush my fingers over her head gently. "You're doing better, beautiful. I'm glad. I worry about you, you know."

I'm aware that she'll never answer me, that's not the point of talking to her. People talk to their dogs and they don't talk back. They'll bark but that's not talking as far as I care to even think about it. I know Quentin and Yael talk to their cats, they meow back but that's hardly talking back at this point. I shake my head and chuckle again lightly. 

Carefully, I set her back down and I go around her room, checking the seams, checking the set up, making sure she has all the water she needs. I know a lot of people would say she'd be happier out in the wild from where she came from but she came from here. She was born in the States from a breeder so she doesn't exactly know what out there is about.

When I'm done with the check up, I step back out of her room, I close and lock the door as usual and I wipe my feet clean before putting my shirt back on. I meet back up with Eoghan who is still avoiding doing whatever it is he's supposed to do and I have to roll my eyes before chuckling.

"Can't avoid it forever, love."

"I know, just delaying the inevitable."

"Want me to do it?"

"No, I'll do it, just- not now."

That sounds like a plan to me. I know he only delays on particular things and they're not things we have to worry too much about so really, all is fine in our lives currently.


	3. Pretending

"It's too early to be outside."

"It's just early enough to be sure we can have our pick of freshly baked bread, if you're still tired when we get home after that, you can go back to bed, stop complaining."

"I'm not complaining."

Oh sure, he's not complaining. I'm not holding it against him, we were in bed late into the night but I'd planned a few days ago to come to the bread place as early as I could manage on this day because their choice of breads on this day is the one that appeals the most to me. Quentin following me is just an extra, he was clinging to me when I got out of bed, whining that I was abandoning him so I told him that if he didn't want to be 'abandoned' he only had to follow me. So he did. Mock-grumbling and complaining all the way. It amuses me more than anything else.

The moment we step into the bakery, he goes quiet and he breathes in deeply. I chuckle softly and greet the worker behind the counter. Their team is small though now and again they'll have interns, I guess. Folks whose face I really don't know. While Quentin is absorbing in the scents of our trip and I suppose now it makes it all worth it, I step up and I get my usual order. I end up with five different loaves and that's just how I want it. They won't last very long. 

I hand him one of the bags as I prepare to step back outside and I have to drag him along with me to get him to step back outside. I can only laugh as he pouts the moment we step out and the door closes behind us. "Awake now, yes?"

"This place smells heavenly."

"And you complain every time when you come with me until you step inside."

"Sorry?" He doesn't sound it and I don't care, it all is more amusing than irritating.

"All forgiven, can we go home now?"

"Sure, so long as you tell me what this guy is doing."

I blink and look in the direction he's looking at and I see someone, hard to tell if it's a guy or a girl, in what looks like a suit. I think it's supposed to be a dog. It crinkles as he walks, makes me wonder if it's not made of cut up strips of paper or something, it doesn't look like it's made of soft material. I've seen a few 'suits' before. I think they called them fur suits. More power to those who feel comfortable in them. I don't think that's one of them.

"I have to assume that he's pretending he's a dog?" As if to prove my point, the stranger barked at an incoming car. I shake my head and turn away to start heading back to our place. This town has odd folks at times. I'm not saying they're bad but they are honestly strange, I don't know what to make of them most of the time.

"What does he get from pretending to be a dog?" He sounds puzzled and I'm just as puzzled I can only shrug as I hook my arm through his to get him to walk with me. Quentin usually isn't a curious person. When he sees something that puzzles him, most of the time it falls into his 'what an idiot' category until we can make sense of it. Most of the time it stays in that category but at times I can manage to change his mind. I'm in no mood to try to change his mind about that.

"That's stupid."

"I can imagine it is, I'm sure that whoever is under there has their reason."

"Like they're missing a few bits in their brain."

"Quentin, don't. Some people are just different. Some are sick, it's hard to know which is which, you really shouldn't judge them."

"All right, all right, I'm sorry."

I try not to judge people based on their looks, it only hurts in the end.

  


Caelan nearly manages to run past us and outside once we're in the foyer when we get back home. I don't know what he was doing in there. We have a double door, so to speak. There's the door leading outside, the slight foyer though it's more of an entryway with a wardrobe for coats and another door. We never open one door without closing the other one. It helps us in keeping the cats inside.

I was holding both of the bags with our bread when he came jumping by and slinking along our legs. Quentin closed the door quicker than I remember him ever before and he snagged the wandering cat up with a soft tsk. 

"We'll have to check the walls and see if they haven't found a way through."

"That or we were both still semi-asleep when we went outside and he might have followed us in the foyer and waited for us to get back so he could get back inside." He could have a point but now I'm worried about them slipping by us when we step outside. I just want my cats to be well and healthy, can't help it. He opens the inner door and there goes Caelan jumping from his arms and running back inside.

I guess it is a possibility that somehow we locked him in the foyer when we were stepping outside. I'm just glad he didn't try to slip out while we were going out. I'm glad he's inside.

"Let's slice us some bread and bring out the fresh strawberry jam."

"No more thoughts of going back to bed, huh?"

"You're kidding right? It's hard enough to stay asleep when your nose is assaulted with all these fresh and warm scents. I mean, it's a good kind of assault but it's still assault, you should have warned me."

I quirk a brow and laugh softly. I shake my head as I put the loaves on the counter. I know he'll pick whichever he likes best at this point and I don't mind, he deserves that much for having walked with me to the bakery and then back. "I warn you every single time you come with me, Quentin. 'Just remember, it'll all come back to you the moment we step inside, there's a reason your brain tells you that you want to come with me even if you're so tired you'd rather just sleep for a few more hours'. Recall?"

He sticks his tongue out as he plucks out the cheddar and bacon loaf. He cuts it into thick slices and I chuckle softly. At least these slices fit into the toaster but they don't need toasting at this point, they're so fresh and you could just eat them that way and be done with it. Though I admit he has some strange tastebuds, wanting to mix cheddar, bacon and strawberry but I love him just the way he is. I'll stick to adding just a bit of butter to my slices at this point, it'll be more than enough. Now the cranberry-pecan bread, that's different. I'll eat that with jam any day.


	4. Crystall Ball

I haven't been at a fair like this in decades, I can't recall last I saw this kind of thing. With my usual luck as far as my gift is concerned I tend to stay away from these places but Eoghan wanted to come. He heard about how it was only for today and he had to come, we had to visit and had to look around. He wanted to bring everyone along but I had to convince him otherwise, plus, as is today is a work day so the only ones who would have been able to come are Quentin and Yael and I'm not sure Quentin would have cared to.

I swear, when he gets excited, Eoghan seems to forget even the simplest of things, like the fact that Quentin's temper is very short and the place will be crowded, if we bump into one too many people I could see something explode. While the idea that Quentin's temper could be lost doesn't mean much else than he'll yell and flail, I just don't want to be the one to witness that.

So it was just the two of us in the car and it was more than enough, it was plenty. Eoghan was chattering away excitedly next to me so after a mere five minutes on the road to our destination I turned the radio off, it was pointless, he was talking over it.

  


I should have taken a leash along. The moment I park the car and turn off the motor, he nearly lunges out from his side of the car and I nearly miss catching his sleeve just a second before he's completely outside. I roll my eyes at him and he looks at me with those wide, startled and confused eyes, as if I'd just told him that we'd come all this way to just head home.

"Eoghan, just give me a minute, if you run off into this crowd I'll lose sight of you and spending the day here on my own, mostly looking for you just doesn't appeal to me, all right?" He slumps lightly in his seat but he nods and I can't help the slight sigh of relief. I don't mind being here, I just don't want to be here on my own or to be waiting at the car all day until he decides he's seen enough and comes back.

Finally I get out of the car and slip around to his side, I smile at him warmly and I even offer my hand to help him out from the vehicle. He looks at me a moment, as if considering his options before he curls his fingers over mine and I lightly tug him out. He closes the door, the vehicle beeps lightly to tell us that all doors are indeed locked and I bring his fingers to my lips to kiss the back of his hand. The blush on his cheeks is subtle but I know it's there and I know there are no harsh feelings.

After I release his hands, he stays by my side and I guess he understands well enough my desire to not be around this crowd on my own. I don't mind crowds but most of the time I stand out by my height and my looks and people stare, I'd rather just be with him and focus on him.

We wander from stall to stall and I get the feeling it's almost more a _marché aux puces_ than anything else. There are people selling goods, people in olden clothing selling stuff I'm not sure I've heard about even though I've been alive so long. There's one woman in her stall who sits behind her crystal ball. There are a few panels here and there that explains that she can tell one's future of revisit the past and see if old and dead relatives might be willing to talk.

I scoff at the idea but I can see Eoghan's eyes almost glow as he forms an idea that I know can only turn into disaster. He's not mean-hearted though at times he likes the idea of playing pranks on people just to see if they're the 'real' deal or if they're frauds. Most of the time they turn out to be frauds.

He heads towards her and I stay back, just watching them. With his gift, it's natural that he can tell whether folks are really gifted or not. I don't envy him for it, all the trouble and pain he's gone through, learning to control it. I'm glad Armin has my bracelet to help him along, I can't imagine what it's like for someone to have voices in their heads constantly. It's bad enough my gift is difficult to control on its own.

He stays at her table for about ten minutes before he's coming back up to me and linking his arm to mine. He looks slightly defeated. I nudge his side lightly as we walk away, it usually gets him talking.

"I don't know, I kind of hoped she was the real deal, maybe she was one of us but she's just a fraud. She kept on asking me questions, hoping I'd give her some hints as to what it was she could try to dupe me about, just didn't work out. Her crystal ball was pretty though, I'm pretty sure at least that was real and it was an antique, it was in good condition."

I pat his hand lightly and we continue to drift along the stalls, sampling this, that and looking but not touching these things and those. By mid-afternoon, it is Eoghan who turns to me to ask that we start on our way back home. That he's had enough of walking around. What he's not saying though I can read it in his face well enough, is that this isn't what he had hoped for and now he's just tired of the place as a whole. I make a mental note to take him to visit old castles in nearby places eventually instead of visiting fairs.

  


The drive back home is quieter. The radio is on to a classical station, the volume is down low so it's mostly background noise. When we get home, he slips out and I know he's bummed about the whole thing. It'll take him a couple of days to get over it but that's just how he is. Despite that he's had a few hundred years to live already, he still gets excited about these things. The world as a whole hasn't worn him down yet. He still expects that great things can happen, he gets his hopes up and then they tend to get crushed down.

I've learned a long time ago to not really expect anything from anyone and to just appreciate and be surprised when something good did happen to us. I know he'll mope the next couple of days, just lazy about the house and sigh, look miserable enough that I'd want to just gently shake sense back into him but he'll get over it. He always does. If he doesn't after those two days I'll do something about it. That's all there is to it.

Maybe I'll get him a crystal ball though, the real deal as he called it. I think it was more that than the woman and her potential gift that pulled him in. He's on an antique kick and if I can get him what he wants then all is even better in the world. I have money, he has money, I spoil him rotten but it doesn't really change the way we live. We've had to deal with enough shit with our lives to this day that we know that a little spoiling won't turn us rotten. That's just how our world turns.


	5. Trickle Down

"Have you seen my brothers?" The rain is pouring outside, the day is still sticky hot but the humidity is now falling in almost sheets from the sky. Zora, fresh back from work has yet to find her brothers in their apartment so she goes up to the top apartment. It usually is where they end up or so she figures so it can't really hurt. 

However, at the door, Eoghan shakes his head. "Sorry Zora, we've just come back from a trip to the store ourselves, haven't seen them since, have you checked in with Armin? They do come back with him after all, maybe he'll be aware of where they're at."

She scrunches her nose at the idea of having to discuss the with the man and Eoghan rolls his eyes. "He's not all that different from us, Zora and your brothers both adore him. He's a good man."

"He's human."

"Only partly. He's like us, he might just not live to be as long as us."

"Which means that now that my brothers care about him, they'll have their hearts broken when he'll die."

"That's not any time soon and this is hardly fair. He's good to them and he's been good and kind to all of us. He deserves kindness in return. You don't have to have any affection for him, no one is asking you to, I'm just asking that you don't treat him like a stranger. It took time for you to let us into your life but I know you can do the same with him."

She only grunts in answer and turns to head back down the stairs.

"I tolerate him." She mutters the words softly to herself as she stares at the door. That one door she has never cared to be anywhere near. She can't understand why her brothers seem to care so much about this man. Mira she can somewhat grasp, his desire for more knowledge about the whole world is present and this man can give that to him but Agni is more the physical kind so it makes no sense.

Eventually, she does knock on the door and listens. It is quiet for a minute and she prepares to turn back when she hears the slight shuffled sounds of his steps. This is another reason for which she cares little for him. If he was like them he would not be like this. She could not think of anyone in their family who had been born crippled. He was wrong.

He did open the door and she kept herself from grimacing at the sight of him. Usually at the shared dinners they were apart at the table, she at one end on the side and he nearly at the other so they didn't really have to share conversation. 

"Have you seen my brothers?" Her words are slightly clipped and Armin only cants his head at her. He smiles and she knows that the smile is genuine but she still cannot bring herself to care at all for this man. He steps closer to his door and she backs away a step, the motion is instinctive.

"You might want to look out back, I think they ran down the hallway when we came in. I could barely make sure to get them to keep their umbrellas open and over their heads on the walk back." His voice is soft and gentle, the words are kind and he smiles at her. She nods, a curt little tip of her head and he slowly closes his door again.

"Think you're so good with them and think you're so mighty, I bet." The words, a mutter between her teeth, escape her as she walks down the hallway, shaking off the unease she feels from being around the cripple. Alexis and Eoghan are good souls, this much she can tell. Quentin is a little off putting and Yael is just flat out strange but they all get along and she knows that she should not bite the hand that feeds her so she plays nice. After all, this roof over her head is only possible because of Alexis and Eoghan's kindness.

As she makes it to the glass and screen doors that lead to the back yard, she stops a moment to watch the rain as it trickles down the panes. Rain is good, the air had been so humid lately that sleeping turned out to be a chore more than anything else.

Finally she looks away from the trickle of waters themselves and out into the yards, there are her brothers.

  


"Mira, we're going to get sick if we stay out in this rain too long!" Agni's words are called out over the soft roar of the falling rain. It falls down hard and loud but not enough to be painful to be out with. He knows this is comforting, especially for his brother though he can appreciate the rain too. He vaguely recalls spending several hours in rain this hot before when he was younger and he closes his eyes, canting his head back up to the sky. He is soaked to the bones, his clothes sticking to him like second skin and he hardly cares.

Not far from him, Mira laughs, the sound is clear and bright. His arms are outstretched on either side of him as he slowly twirls on himself. "The only way we'll get sick if by getting back inside and into the cold air of the apartment, the AC will make sure we're both frozen solid!"

Agni knows his brother has a point. With how wet they both are, stepping back inside and to their apartment without cooling down a little beforehand is bound to turn into sickness. He knows he can dry them both up well enough before they head back up so he's not all that worried. He just wants to enjoy the rain for what it is. He can't recall last they had more than a passing cloud.

Zora watches her brothers for a moment more before she sighs and shakes her head. She turns back around and starts on her way back up the stairs to her apartment, as far away from the cripple as possible. She knows Eoghan means well but she doubts she'll ever be able to be friendly with the man at all, it feels wrong to her in all senses of the word. He can't help her keep her brothers safe so she can't really be anything for him.

  


Almost an hour later, she hears her brothers's steps as they come down the hallway towards their door. She hopes they've somehow dried up or at least will do so in a hasty way once they step inside. The AC has been turned off for the time being and the apartment is comfortably cool but not cold though it isn't warm yet. Once she knows they are inside, dried and changed it will be turned back on so that the place is comfortable for sleep.

They chatter excitedly as they step into the apartment though they stop near dead at the sight of their sister standing in the hallway, her hands on her hips. "I looked everywhere for you. I even had to bother Eoghan to ask him if he knew where you two were at."

Agni shrugs lightly, not overly surprised at his sister's words. He only smiles at her lightly and slips an arm about his brother's waist to get him to walk along so they can head towards their room.

"You two could have left a note!"

"Zora, we were just outside, we were enjoying the rain. You know Armin never leaves the library without us and he always makes sure we're home safe and sound."

"Armin has nothing to do with this family and you two should consider yourselves lucky I'm letting you work with this cripple at all!"

Mira, winces slightly at his sister's words but only pushes forward a little more. All he wants is to get both himself and his brother out of her sight and away from her anger. He's more than aware that she cares little for the half-demon but it doesn't change the fact that he personally cares more than enough to make up for her cold heart.

Agni doesn't fight, simply goes with his brother though he looks back to their sister and shoots her a look that states plenty. While Mira might not stand up to her, he would and protect them both from her icy cold heart. She might love them but her care for anyone else was more than a little difficult to earn, he knows.

"Dinner is almost ready!" She calls out, anger swarming her though she tries to calm it down.

"We need to get changed, we'll be out in five minutes." Agni's voice is surprisingly calm as he leaves his brother to his door and moves into his room with a soft, quiet sigh. "Some days just aren't meant to end on a good note."


	6. open __________

We haven't really received any unnamed boxes in some time. The last one really was the ones with the ribbons and the one before that the dress. The dress had its good uses until Yael decided it had spent enough time with us without being used so it was given away. I don't mind so much. It was beautiful but it wasn't really him.

This morning, a box came in the mail with his name on it. The address it comes from is unknown to me and he hasn't really seen it yet so I don't know where it might have come from. He'll see it when he comes out of his studio and that's really just the end of that. I'm not about to go barging in there to tell him about this. He felt inspired this morning so he disappeared into there and that's all that matters.

I've learned to not disturb him though I did recently and I think I mostly took his inspiration away from him. I feel bad about that but no more. It just had been so long since he'd last had spent more than just a short amount of time in his studio that I wasn't sure what was really going on.

I place the box on the kitchen table where we tend to open most of our mails and I just go back to taking care of my own things while inspiration takes him on a trip to I'm not sure where this morning. I think I could feel jealous if I was the type that he now spends so much time in that little room but I don't see the point. It makes him happy to draw, to paint, to make little clay sculptures. I'm not going to take that way from him.

It is nearly noon by the time I hear the soft click of his door opening and closing. I know he'll want to work in the garden this afternoon but at least we'll spend some time together in the mean time. I know I'm part of his routine, that isn't going to change. Be it that we spend time together in the morning, at noon, in the afternoon, evening or at night, it's mostly all the same to me, I just want to be with him.

  


"What's this?" I have lunch settled on the table now. When he stepped out of his studio he went to our room and bathroom, likely to wash up a little. By the time he came out, I had two salads set out with some fruits cut up on the side for dessert. The box still is sitting at the edge of the table. It's hard to miss it, all things considered so I'm not surprised that he's asking about it.

"Box that came in for you this morning. You were busy in your studio and I didn't want to bother you about it. There's a sender's address but no name and the city doesn't much ring any bell for me so I didn't want to just open it in case it was personal."

He smiles at me, that soft, loving smile I crave so much and I know I've more than likely done the right thing. At times we have mail that we keep to ourselves though it's rare.

He leans past me to stretch and look at the box. I don't know what I was expecting but I didn't expect his face to sort of close up the way it did when he took note of the sender's address.

"Yael?" I look at him a moment as he sits back down into his chair, he looks away from the box by staring into his salad and I can't help but feel as if something cold has just washed over me. "Yael, what's wrong?"

"It's from the orphanage."

It takes my mind a bit of work to grasp what he's just said and I feel like something solidly cold just slid down my throat. I don't know if that's how he felt after we kept on getting mails from the folks I grew up with. I never told them where I lived but still they found me. I know Yael ran away from the orphanage when he was twelve or thirteen and I'm pretty sure he never told them where he was going, I figure he didn't even know at that point.

I know our names are on the paperwork but I didn't think that could lead anyone to him at this point. He looks so pale. I reach out to touch his cheek lightly and he startles against my touch. He looks up to me with those wide, uncertain eyes. I lean closer, kiss that very cheek I was touching and I get up. I take the box and I move it away. I just settle it into the living room but for now it's not within our sight.

When I settle back into my chair, he looks at me as if the world might just have ended and I get back up again and just move to curl my arms around him. He presses his face into my chest and chokes on a slight sob. I still don't know the kind of life he left behind when he left that orphanage but I know it's one that was not pleasant. I don't want him to feel as if he has to re-live through these things just because of a box.

After I'm not sure how long, he finally pulls away from me. I can hear his stomach rumbling loudly and I kiss the top of his head. "We should eat a little. If you want, I'll open the box and look through it. I can tell you what I find later. You'll probably want to look in on the garden?"

He shakes his head but there is the ghost of a smile on his lips. "Looked in on the garden late last night and I know it's fine so I'm not worried. We can open the box together. I don't want to hide anything from you."

All I can really do is nod as I sit back into my chair. I don't know what to expect from that box. Certainly it can only contain things he might have left behind at the orphanage that were rightfully his so they're sending them back? I don't know.

He eats with little appetite but at least he eats so I feel a little better about the whole thing. I know I don't eat much more than him, it can hardly be blamed on anything else than the uncertainty we both feel from the box from the past that waits for us in the living room.

  


We sit side by side in the living room, just looking at the box as he carefully uses a box cutter to open it. He slices through the tape easily and sets the cutter aside.

He pulls open the tabs of the box and looks inside. At the top I can see an old photo and he lifts it up, looks at it a moment then he holds it out to me. I look at the photo a moment. I guess it's a photo from when they were young, there's about a dozen kids on there. I search to find him and I see a young boy with hair longer than the rest, with eyes so clear he might be blind. Standing above him is an older boy and I am guessing and assuming it might be Sterling. I set the photo down.

We look through the box carefully, we find a blanket, an old, ratty stuffed toy and a few more photos. At the very bottom, wrapped in a swathe of cloth, are long tresses though they all look to be cut at different length. He looks at them strangely, as if he's never seen them before. I remember him telling me that some kid had cut his hair short with scissors at one point and they'd had to shave him bald because of it. I suppose these might be it.

He shudders as we put everything back into the box. He closes his eyes and I just pull him closer. He climbs into my lap without even having to really be asked or told and I hug him to myself. He presses his face to my shoulder and sniffles lightly. These are memories from a past I'm sure he thought he'd left behind. It can't be easy to handle but I'm here with him. I hold him strong and steady and I'm not letting go.


	7. Law Breaker

"This shouldn't have happened."

"It happened, there's no changing it. It was bound to happen, they're growing up and they're learning the ways of life."

"It shouldn't have happened. They know better."

"Do they, Zora?" I see her clench her jaws shut as she shoots me one of the dirtiest looks she can manage. I can feel a cold breeze starting to run through the car and I snort gently. I'd look at her if it wasn't for the fact that I'm driving.

"When did you ever stop to tell them that stealing in any way, shape or form, was bad?"

"I never stole anything!"

"Perhaps, but most of the time when you were dealing out the details of getting some shelter or some food, they were huddling away elsewhere, or when they were with you, they didn't speak that strange language you spoke so how were they supposed to understand? They saw that one game in the window they really wanted and they took it. It won't happen again."

"They should have known better!"

"But they didn't." I'm really trying to rein in my temper, losing it would be bad for everyone around us and I'm not really in the mood to deal with collateral damage. The wind eventually dies out, just moments before I pull into the station. The store clerk only did what he was taught to. Someone tries to steal something—and in this case not even try to hide it, I don't know what went through their minds—they call the cops.

"They will be grounded for this." She slams her door once she's out and I sigh, rubbing the bridge of my nose lightly. I feel a migraine coming on, this is not pleasant.

"What good with grounding them do when they didn't know that what they were doing was wrong?"

"If my parents hadn't been killed-"

"In a perfect world, there would be no law breakers, there would be no crime and there would be no hate. The world is not perfect, it will never be. Some of us have the gift of Time and they can alter it but the cost of that is great, I've seen it happen. Your parents, not just yours, remember, they're your brothers, their parents as well. They are gone and dead, they're not coming back. You've been dealt a bad lot in life but we're now doing our best to give you the life you deserve."

The look she shoots me is full of hurt and the tears are moments from escaping. I round the car though not to reach to her, I'm not even going to attempt that. "Zora, if you come inside like this, you're going to cause a scene," she opens her mouth and I shoot her a look, she closes it, "don't start with me. If you don't want to wait in the car, don't. You can sit on the bench there, I'll be out of there in ten minutes at most, we'll give home and then, just then, when we're all out of the car and inside, you can give them a piece of your mind, not before. I don't want any of us to be endangered by your temper and your gift while we're in the car, Zora. I've also seen that happen before it is not pretty."

Again she looks hurt and near tears but I shrug it off. I've had decades and then some to grow used to the sight of tearful women, of scorned ones and of murder-plotting ones. This is nothing.

As I walk away, I catch her moving to sit on the bench, her head in her hands. It's a start.

  


We're out of the building barely ten minutes after I've entered. Mira looks frightened as can be, he doesn't really understand all of what happened. All he understands is that people in uniforms, cops, showed up at the store where Agni had taken the game box and brought it outside to show his brother. From what I understand of their story it was really just a case of showing, he had no intention of taking it without paying it. Mira hadn't wanted to step into the store with them. 

This is what I explained to the officer at the desk and while he gave me a doubtful look, he believed me. These kids didn't even have a spot of dirt in their files at this point in their lives after all and it still now was absolutely spotless.

Mira slips into the car silently, Agni settles into the other side. It takes Zora a minute or two before she follows suit, sitting next to me up front.

I get us going and only when we are at home do I actually lock all the doors. The car is off, motor no longer running. I tell Zora what her brothers have told me. I know she's bound to better listen to me and pay attention to what I am saying than her brothers. I'm her elder, I've seen the world so many times over at this point that there's not a lot I've missed out on.

She stiffens when the locks go down but she doesn't fight. Her temper still is on edge and remains on edge even after I have explained. I've done all I can for her, I just hope she takes it easy on her brothers. Mira looks like his whole world has collapsed around him, he doesn't understand. Agni is harder to read, his face is almost blank though I catch little notes of discomfort and fear. They both know they've done something wrong but there is nothing more that can be done about this.

I know Zora will hold this against me for a while. When I had all of the paperwork for them done so they could have their citizenship cards and birth certificate and the rest. I put the twins with my name as an emergency contact. Zora has no means of getting to them if something arises and in a case like this, where they were at the police station and needed getting out, my knowledge of it, I'm sure, has saved us all from a tornado or two.

Zora is sweet, I can give her that much but she has a temper that can rival Quentin's own. If he snaps, there's not much he can do to harm any of us, at least until he learns the true nature of his gift. Zora, on the other hand, she loses her temper and the town is good to be subjected to a few tornadoes.

When I got the call about the boys, I thought it over. I could either tell her or avoid telling her altogether. They are her brothers so I did tell her. Eventually I suppose she might see the truth in that and she might forgive me for all I've done today but it was for the good of the many. I'm pretty sure she's going to avoid coming to our shared suppers for a while, I just hope she doesn't keep the twins from coming. They don't deserve to be punished.

Finally we all get out of the car. Zora in the lead, stalking away and it takes Agni rounding to his brother's side of the car and pulling him out to get these two moving. I stop them just moments before they step inside. I offer them a slight sort of smile and I partly crouch down to their levels to talk to them. They're so much smaller than me.

"Listen. I know you two didn't mean any harm with what happened this afternoon. Personally I get it. It must have been frightening as all hell too when they pulled up and took you in." I look down to Mira rubbing his wrists gently and I sigh. Honestly, this kid wouldn't even hurt a fly and they handcuffed him. I can't help him forget that, it's not in my gift. Eoghan could clear their memories of the event but that's not really something that should be done.

I reach out, brush my hands over his wrist gently and he looks up at me, his eyes wide and startled. "The memory is more than likely going to be right there in your mind for a while but don't let it swallow you down. You did nothing wrong, you didn't know it. Everything needs to be paid for before it's brought outside. So next time one of you wants to show the other something, leave it there, step outside and ask them to join you in so you can both look at it, okay?"

I get a tiny little nod out of Mira and Agni sighs but nods in turns. There's the ghost of a smile on his lips and I know he's just trying to be strong. "If Zora starts yelling, you two come up top and we'll let you both sleep in the guest room, all right?"

It's a single but king sized bed so I doubt they'd mind. I get this feeling Mira might be crawling in with his brother for the next few days.

Finally I step back and I gently touch each of them on the shoulder before letting them step inside. I go up the stairs with them and watch them disappear down the second floor hallway as I go up to the third.

What a day today turned out to be.


	8. The Cost of ___________

The twins did end up in our apartment for the better part of two weeks following the incident at the store where Agni had only wanted to show Mira something. Things had just spiralled out of control before they could explain themselves. It's sad really, the way things turned out to be but we can't turn back time. I personally don't know any Time-gifted demons. I know Lex does but he says that it's a gift that should more or less never be used unless the whole planet was about to be destroyed.

When Agni knocked at our door, Mira in tow, two slight bags held close as if it was his only safety, I was more than happy to let them in. I thought they'd stay a day or three, a week at most. They've tried to head back down but I guess Zora is the type to hold grudges because they're still with us after two weeks.

I let them in, showed them to the guest bedroom though I knew they were aware of where it was since it wasn't the first time they were here, after all. We postponed the weekly gathering that week because the twins weren't really in any shape to appreciate a shared meal and I knew Zora wouldn't come. So we told everyone that we'd make it up for it one weekend by going somewhere that everyone who came could enjoy.

I gave the twins a couple of days to try to wind down about their whole adventure before I started to spend time with them to explain the cost of things to them. I knew they understood the basic knowledge but the finer details were somewhat lost on them. I told them that things had price tags on them because people had worked hard to get the product to us in this final form and they needed food, and food required money and—well the discussion went on for a long while.

Little by little I added a bit more information to that knowledge, just a bit more every day. I didn't want to overwhelm them. I called Armin on the first night, telling him I didn't know whether or not the twins would be going with him to work on the following day but they both surprised me by going. I suppose it was a good thing, they needed the distraction.

  


Now, two weeks later and they're packing their clothes up again into their little bags. This is the third time they'll be trying to head back down and see if the woman who thinks she's been scorned has calmed down in any way enough for them to get back to their habits and their bedrooms. I know they miss sleeping in their own beds though Mira has had nightmares almost nightly through the first week. He reminds me of Yael a little bit.

I watch them walk down the hallway to the staircase and I sigh a little. I leave the door partly opened, just in case. I don't know Zora that well, I don't know how long it might take for her to calm down. What I do know is that Agni is strong-spirited and he might just stand up to her enough to get her to back down and let them back in to their own lives. I feel bad but really, there's nothing more we can do about this but grow from it all.

Hours pass and they don't come back up so I go back to the door and I close it. Once that's done, I collapse on the couch and I mostly stare off. Now that they're out of the apartment I'm not sure what to do with myself. Two weeks of watching them get up, eat a little, head to work with Armin, come back in the late afternoon-early evening, teach them a little more about the cost of life and then dinner and bed, it settled into a routine and I'm at a loss.

A couple of hours later, Lex comes out of his work room, he stops by the living room where I haven't really budged from the couch and he rests his hand atop my head, as if to tell me he's there. I chuckle softly and I close my eyes before I tilt my head back to look up to him. I smile faintly and I shrug. I don't know what else to do.

"This is a good sign, Eoghan. It means either she's finally calmed down or Agni stood up to her and she backed down." His words pull an amused moment of laughter from me. He looks at me in that way only he ever can, that questioning sort of look that's all his. 

"That's more or less exactly what crossed my mind. That since they hadn't come back, either Agni had stood up to her or she'd calmed down." He chuckled in turn and stepped around the couch to settle next to me. There's that faint odour of chocolate that lifts off of him. Usually when he's done with his work he showers, he knows I'm not strong on sweet things, chocolate one of those things but right now I don't really mind. I might be the one with the gift of mind-reading and mind-altering but he knows me well enough to understand that I need company right that instant and that I don't care what he might smell like.

He sits next to me and I don't need to be asked or told before I shift and move to settle onto his lap. His arms curl about my waist and I rest my head against his shoulder with a sigh. I close my eyes and I try to forget that they're gone, even if it is for their own good. They couldn't live with us forever though it wasn't such a bad sort of routine. They're growing up, they're strong and willful, they need to develop their own pathways in life.

  


The next morning, right before the hour at which I know Armin leaves for the library with the twins, Mira comes knocking on the door. He looks calm, he looks peaceful. I sigh, a little note of relief and he smiles at me somewhat. In his hands is an old sort of book, one that doesn't ring any bells but it might with Lex. I take it from his offering hands, look it over and carefully set it down. The moment the book is out of my hands, I have a Mira latched onto me, hugging me tightly. I hug him back, it's all I can do.

He's murmuring nonsense, words I can't make out but the accent is somewhat clear and I tell myself that he's talking in his native tongue. I don't mind. I just appreciate his presence so close and the fact that he's not crying. It breaks my heart to see him crying. 

When he finally releases me, he looks up to me, he looks calmer now and I smile down to him, reaching out to muss my hand through his hair gently. He laughs and bats away at me hand, the worry lifts from my soul. He hadn't laughed in two weeks. This feels good.

"Go on before you're late for work."

He nods and he smiles again before he turns and runs down the corridor and off to the staircase. I hear him distantly thumping on the way down and I chuckle softly to myself.

I close the door and carefully pick up the book he's handed me. I'm not sure if it's a temporary or permanent sort of thing, I'll ask during our next shared meal. I bring to book to the kitchen table where I set it down carefully. I know Lex will be able to tell me a bit more about it. I'm honestly quite curious.


	9. Who Took It?

In this house, when something goes missing, there is a chance of eight different culprits. Usually this list can be taken down to seven but for this one bit of thievery, I think that number will have to stick to eight. I know I shouldn't have left it there on the counter, just waiting to be stolen but I was gone all of two minutes, it only takes me two minutes to head into the bathroom and come back once I'm done emptying my bladder. Still I suppose I can't blame anyone but myself. 

It's a shame, I really wanted to eat that saucisson but now it is in someone else's stomach. I'd have to assume Quentin to be the one who took it but it could have been any single one of our cats. They've done it before when we left food unattended on the counter. I'm not going to start a hunt down to find the culprit, I'll just sigh and bemoan my fate or something like that. It was a small piece, I guess it doesn't really matter in the long run, it's gone and punishing anyone for this isn't really going to fix anything. Punishing cats for deeds done in the past isn't helpful, they don't understand what's happening.

Punishing Quentin if he's the one who took it is something else altogether. We couldn't decide who would have the last bite, last night, so we wrapped it up and set it into the fridge. We'd decided that after midnight, it was a case of first come first serve. I should have eaten it before I went to the bathroom but my bladder was telling me it was more than a little full, that's all right.

Quentin steps into the kitchen with a wide yawn. I had left him asleep in bed just ten minutes ago and he still was in bed when it happened so we are down to seven likely thieves and I know that now is the best time to leave it be. He blinks at me and tilts his head with that questioning look that fits him rather well. I shrug lightly. "Had brought out the last of the saucisson. Went into the bathroom to empty my bladder and it was gone when I came back. Guess someone in this house has had a good breakfast start."

He laughs and I chuckle. I guess that's all there is to that one. It's not like we can't afford to buy more but the store we buy it from is closed today, else I wouldn't even have bothered with it last night and I would have let him have it.

"We'll go tomorrow and get some more. We can even pre-cut it up to make sure we have an even amount, that'll leave no one wanting for more."

I blink at him and I snicker, the idea is interesting but a little foolish. It'd be stupid to start this kind of thing, really. We're not the kind of folk to get into a fight over one last bit of meat after all, it's a crazy sort of idea and I shake my head.

"We just buy, store and eat. When we're out, we're out. We could even buy extra tomorrow for the shared supper."

"Feels weird to have essentially missed out on one of them, I still have no idea what it was about." I shrug to his unspoken question. I don't know what it was about either and I'm not going to ask. Whatever happened to get the supper postponed happened and there's nothing we can do about it.

"Eoghan said we'd plan an outing over the next supper." The idea of an outing is welcomed, I know we all went to that garden last time and it went well but I'd like for us to all do something more together. I still don't know if Armin would join us, most of our outings require plenty of walking.

"I think we should go to the waterpark."

"We have a waterpark?" That's new to me, I hadn't even known there was a waterpark in this city. That could be interesting, especially in this still present heat. I think about Armin though and I can't help but think that this is a kind of outing he can't join us in either. I don't know. He could but with waterslides, his crutch would get in the way, I'd think. Someone would have to hold onto it or something as he wouldn't be sliding down with it and that just seems to complicate everything.

"It's in the next town over but it's at most an hour drive to get there, it could be fun." I guess he's right, it would be fun.

  


Usually, after breakfast, I spend an hour or two up in the garden to take care of the pruning, of this and that. Just general taking-care-of-things time. When I come down from the stairs, I see Quentin waiting for me at the bottom with a clearly amused look on his face.

I stop and tilt my head, more or less just waiting for him to tell me whatever it is that is amusing him to that point, he usually doesn't wait for me out of the garden for no reason.

"I found your missing saucisson." The words make me laugh, I can't help it, they just sound wrong and the grin on my face must tell him that much because he blushes and sticks his tongue out slightly. "The rest of your stolen breakfast, that is. I don't know that I'd be happy to find your saucisson detached from your person."

He leads me off and we head towards the cat room which is where I suspected it had ended up. Though in my mind it was thoroughly eaten and mostly digested by now. What I see however amuses me to no end and I have to fight back the laughter. I don't want to break them up by surprising them.

There, in the room, the cats seem to essentially be playing football with the bit of food. I've seen them play this way before though they've always done so with one of their toys, not some of our food. It's surprising, I honestly thought it was going to have been eaten by now but it still is there, whole. Not that I'm going in there to get it from them. it's been rolled on the floor for hours at this point, they can have it. Of course we'll be throwing it out before long but for now they can have their fun with it.

We step away from the room and I shake my head somewhat. "I did not expect them to be playing with their food this way. Toys yes, but food, not really."

Quentin nods and chuckles softly. "I was listening to them play but I couldn't make out what they were playing with. Most of their balls have bells in them so we can hear them going back and forth and I couldn't this time. When I spotted the bit of saucisson I thought you had to see it to believe it."

"Oh I believe it, all right. That's something new and I doubt we'll be seeing that again. Note to self, don't leave food unattended, even for just a minute or two. Cats are little devils and they will empty the plate if they're given a chance." I shake my head with an amused note. I suppose this is a good lesson. I've never really left food on its own even just for seconds before, at least not after I first learned that these guy were little thieves. I assumed they were too busy to come along while I was gone. Lesson learned, I will see about no longer assuming anything about them starting today.


	10. The Patent Office

With these two who I still believe have lived under a rock all of their lives—I know it's not the case but their still present naiveté in some cases astounds me—I've come to expect the unexpected and all kind of questions about nothing and everything. So, when they came over for our shared supper with everyone but Zora present, and he asked to know more about patents, I was only happy to oblige him in the best way I knew how.

Of course I wasn't exactly sure what had brought this up so I did ask him, he told me he'd heard someone muttering to himself while they'd been on their morning trek for fresh bread, about how he had to get to the patent office. It made sense.

Now I don't know why but this whole patent thing is stuck in my head. I've lived long. Not half as long as Lex of course but I've lived long, I've seen things come and go, I've seen things change. I've seen people make money from stuff they'd made after they left the patent office. I don't need money so I don't know why I can't let it out of my head.

  


Lex is flopped on the couch, it's right under, or almost, the air conditioning unit. It's the coolest place in the whole house. I don't blame him for being here. We could almost let Adela roam free in this place today and she'd be clam-happy for how stifling it feels. I haven't really dared to go and settle against him. He's there for the cool and I'd only suffocate him with my own body heat if I did. Next best choice I have is what I do. I walk over, I settle on the floor next to the couch. I'm not far from the unit now and I feel the coolness settle. We usually can keep the ambient air in the house cool enough in the summer or so I'd like to believe but this heat wave is hard to believe.

He grunts softly at my presence and I can't help the slightly worn chuckle. This heat is getting to all of us. It's impossible to work on commissions at this point and he usually doesn't offer any. His room is kept to fridge temperature, he essentially could but then the delivery makes it a very tricky offer, stuff melts so fast.

I shift and lean a little closer, just barely. Resting my cheek lightly, almost not, against his arm. He opens one eye, then the other and he looks down at me with that just barely questioning glance. We both know to not push the other too far in this temperature. We're not usually badly temperamental but this is just bad weather.

The smile that finds my lips is slight, just barely present and I sigh as I straighten my head. "Remember last night, Yael asked me about patents and the patent office?"

He closes his eyes a moment and I think he might just ignore me, I wouldn't blame him, but he opens them again and he nods before stretching with a low groan.

"I don't know why but I keep on thinking about patents and about how many of the things we've essentially created over the years were never taken there. I mean, I don't need the money and you don't really either. Nothing of what goes through my mind in terms of creation would really be worth a patent either so I don't get why my brain is stuck there."

"It's hot in here despite the air conditioning unit, Eoghan. I think all of our brains are a little short-circuited."

I nod at his words and I sigh, straightening again slightly to look out to the window nearest us. The curtains are drawn but the sun is on the other side of the building at this point. I still imagine I'm staring outside and a soft flash of worry fills me.

"You think the twins and Armin are going to be all right coming home in this weather? I mean I've heard of tires popping in this heat." It's a heat wave like this city's never experienced before, it has done in several elderly already. I can't imagine that these three would be comfortable riding the over-heated bus and then walking home. "Maybe I should go and get them."

He grunts again and I roll my eyes. He laughs quietly at my reaction and I can't help but sigh. "If you want you can, I'm sure the car is a heat bomb though. It is black."

"I was thinking of taking the one we keep in the garage."

"The sporty?"

"Well, there is room for four even though there are only two doors but it is white and that's the best colour at this point."

There, he nods slightly and I feel maybe a bit of hope that I can spare our friends some terrible time out in the heat. "Guess it is an option. The AC words wonders in it too, I guess it's not too bad an idea. Maybe you should call them to tell them you'll be around by closing time to get them, yes?"

I nod, a little startled as I hadn't thought of that. They could have walked right on by me without even seeing me while I'd wait to take them home, that would have been bad. "I will."

  


The heat has claimed two more elderly victim by the time I get into the car. Though it is more during the afternoon and before I get into the car. The little walk from the shade of the house to the garage leaves me feeling as if I've spent my whole day out in this heat. I hope we'll all manage some sleep tonight. Maybe we'll all gather at Quentin and Yael's for an hour or two, they have control over the heat in their pool and I bet it's more refreshing than the furnace on the roof with our own.

I pull up to the library right as I spot the three of them just stepping outside. I wave them over. I step out so the twins can each get out on their own sides, slipping into the back of the cool car. I've been keeping the AC up to the roof and while it was almost chilly at one point, now it'll be just comfortable. I keep a steady eye on Armin as he slips into the car, just to be sure he's comfortable. Once the doors are all closed, the outside heat is forgotten for the moment and I see about driving us home.

The twins are too tired and worn from the heat to offer any discussion and I can only shake my head. I hope this heat wave passes soon.

"I was thinking, if Yael and Quentin agree to it, we could cross over a little before or after dinner and we could take a dip in their pool. Unlike ours, theirs is inside and they have some control over the temperature so it's bound to be cooler."

My words are met with little grunts and sighs and I think I'll just let them think that one over for a moment. I'll call in to Quentin once we're back and see what he thinks of the offer. I'm sure if we were nice and cool inside, people might even appreciate some cat-therapy.

I pull up to our building and instead of going up to the side and straight to the garage, I briefly idle in front of the front door so they can all slip out and head inside where it is, at least, a little cooler. Armin slips out first, followed by Mira and Agni who almost tumble over one another. I laugh softly and wait until they're inside before I drive into the driveway and up into the garage. I think a swim across the street might just do us a world of good.


	11. Cooperation

"Last I checked, this place isn't on the usual travel map of tornados, anyone care to tell me what happened?" I had to ask really. The whole yard was a complete mess. As if there indeed had been a tornado. Still, the only thing that really was striking, beyond the mess, is that it really only was the yard. There was nothing wrong with the building, there was nothing wrong in the street and Quentin and Yael's yard still was as clean and pristine as it had been the night before.

The swing set is on the ground, there are tree branches scattered everywhere, the grill is in pieces and it must have taken quite a bit of strong wind to tear that apart since it was built on a brick base, it'll have to be built all over again, someone's going to have to get bricks. The chairs are so far out into the yard I can only see a couple of them and what's left of the table is not a pretty sight.

Next to me, Agni looks the mess over and he sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. He spares a glance towards his brother and I can almost imagine they're talking without really uttering a single world. I could try to look into their minds but that wouldn't get me much of anywhere and I did promise myself I wouldn't do that. I don't think I'm strong enough yet anyway.

With a sigh, Agni looks back up to me and there is no smile on his lips. He only shakes his head and looks at the mess that remains of the yard. "I think it's more than likely safe to say that Zora happened."

My puzzled look does pull a slight hint of a smile to his lips. I'm vaguely aware of things but not in details. I know Eoghan's gift is of the mind but that is mostly it. I haven't been introduced to the rest of them in that way and I haven't really asked.

"I control fire." His words are soft, a little uncertain but I nod and smile somewhat at him as I store away that information. "Mira is water."

Those words however startle me a little and I have to step back from my analytical mind for a second. I guess it is a possibility. Like a white man from America and a black woman from Africa having a child together, there are three slots, either the father's genes take over, either the mother's own do or they are mixed up. I nod, putting away that bit of information.

"Zora has control over wind. I don't know what pissed her off but something pissed her off bad enough. At least we're out here and away from most things, this wouldn't have been pretty if it had happened in the middle of downtown." True. I can only imagine the kind of damage that would have happened if this had happened downtown.

"So now we clean up?" I have to ask, I don't mind helping after all. Agni shakes his head with a sigh.

"This is a mess made by our family, we have to clean up."

"That's not really how it works when you have friends, Agni. Friends help each other out."

"But-"

"I know what you're thinking. There's not much I can do with my leg but I can still help at least a little. I know you more than likely don't want Eoghan and Alexis involved but it might be a necessity. The grill has been completely destroyed and so has most of the furniture, it'll need to be ordered to be delivered and set up again."

Mira's shoulders at the ones to drop now and I sigh gently. Poor kids.

"You two stay here and start to gather up what you can so we can get a bin to throw the bad out, I'll go talk to the guys upstairs." I figure I can at least spare them that much.

  


The talk went well, I hadn't really expected any differently from Eoghan, I want to believe I'm starting to know him a little. He looked bemused and a tiny bit put off. From the top of his head since he was almost projecting I gathered the information on why. It had taken them hours to set everything up but I think that if we all chime in, it might take a little less time.

We were all down, except Zora, of course, after about half an hour more. The twins had gathered most of the slighter pieces in a pile. The chairs were in poor condition, the table really was beyond repair. Most of the bricks had been shattered upon landing. The swing set was just in poor condition. They tried to get it back to its feet but it could no longer even be kept standing.

I imagine that these guys will want to have a talk with Zora eventually. She hasn't been to the shared suppers recently and she has more or less fallen off of the face of the earth. Mira mentioned that she spent very little time in the apartment and that he'd found a few bits of circled information in the papers that led him to believe she was looking for another place to live. It seemed extreme really and I can't imagine that Eoghan will let her leave with the twins. He might try to at least keep the boys here. They're not eighteen yet, not for at least another year and a few months I think. I don't know why she wants out of this place, it's safe and healthy really but she does.

After Eoghan took stock of what was broken and needing replaced, he placed an order at the store and inquired if it was possible to have a delivery within the next twenty four hours. He was told it would come tomorrow. At least, that's what he said. He called for a construction trash bin and that came after an hour or so. Alexis had a talk with the guy and asked him if he could just sit tight and wait while they filled the bin in. It took some back and forth along with a bit of an extra tip but it did save the guy from a trip.

With everyone working together though I admit I was mostly supervising, the chairs, the table, the bricks and everything that was broken ended up in the bin without about half an hour's time. The guy went on his merry way once all was said and done. it was good to get that cleared up.

Contrary to popular belief, I can get around without my crutch though it is a bit of a chore. Still, I don't like not helping so when brooms came out, I snagged one up and I helped best I could with sweeping at least the patio area clean. The day was surprisingly comfortable, I guess the heat wave we'd dealt with was done torturing us or at least we were getting a one day breather.

When the place was as cleaned up as it was going to get without some major work to clear out the rest of the yard of fallen branches and trunks, we all slipped past inside to our respective homes to wait until morning or afternoon, whenever the delivery came place.

  


The delivery did come in the middle of the morning, when the patio area still was mostly in the shade. I wasn't really given a chance to help this time around but I did read through the instructions and I guess it was better than nothing. What took longest was the grill this time but by the early afternoon we were done and it was almost as if nothing had ever happened at all. Of course I know it's only an illusion, everyone knows something bad happened but it's not my place to talk about it and I know the twins don't much want to think about it either. I just hope that whatever issues there are, they will get solved soon.


	12. Far Back in Time

"Tell me about how the dinosaurs lived." I know it's a question he can't answer. He's old but not that old and I'm trying my best to keep the shit eating grin off my face, I can't help it. At times the stupidest of questions pop up in my head and I just, I have to ask him. Especially as we're both now just in the pool, floating around aimlessly. After the heat wave I called in someone to install a temperature controller for the water so even if the heat in here was uncomfortable, we still could keep the water cooler. That and another air conditioning unit. I don't know why we hadn't thought of that one until now but it doesn't matter, it's installed now.

He looks at me like I've lost my mind and I know my control is slipping, the grin is clear as day on my face and he rolls his eyes at me, swatting at my ass playfully. I laugh and shrug, splashing water at him before just settling again. This is a comfortable position. The air is warm but not too hot, the water is just nice, I couldn't really ask for anything else at that point.

"It's not like I can go back that far in time, you idiot." The term is affectionate when it comes from him and I sigh softly. It's his way of remind me of all the affection and endless adoration he has for me. Yes, I'm vain, well no, I'm not but he's just like that and that's all, he makes me feel special.

"You think that a time-keeping demon could open a doorway that far back in time? I mean, I wouldn't want to change the past, I'm just curious as to what it might be like back there."

"With all the shit little miss wind is giving us, you're thinking that it could be cool to witness how the dinosaurs lived? I'm thinking the heat really did get into your head." He shakes his head and I stick my tongue out at him before shifting and flopping to my back on the noodles. They keep me afloat just so, I'd be out of the water on a floating mattress and that's not the point of a pool for me. 

"I don't know, I try not to think too much about what she's doing right now. If Mira's right, she's trying to find an apartment somewhere, I figure she might be able to afford a one or two bedroom on her salary but more than likely not a three bedroom like she needs right now." I shrug and close my eyes. The roof she has over her head right now isn't costing her a thing. All she's paying for is the food she puts in her fridge and whatever she watches on cable along with her internet connection. Everything else is on us. The apartment, the lights, the heat, the water. We're just giving her a chance at a slightly easier life. If she wants to move out, it's on her but I don't really want her to put her brothers through hell because she can't accept that her brothers have made one single mistake in their lives so far and for some reason she's blaming us. 

It isn't as if we've corrupted her brothers. We've taught them the languages spoken here, we've got them a job though that one is mostly on Armin, we've taught them the ways of this city, all things she hadn't even really tried to this day. She claims she's protecting them but I think she was mostly just thinking of herself and how she could survive out and about with two extra mouths to feed without really thinking of their own needs.

There is a sudden splash in the pool and I'm startled out of my slight doze. I look over to the deep end, figuring Lex might have gotten out to jump back in but there's Mira surfacing with a soft laugh. I'm glad he appreciates his life here. We're really just trying to help people in need. I don't understand Zora and I'm not going to dig through her mind to try to understand her.

I don't see Agni and I don't ask. I know these two do their own thing. They're liking different ideas, exploring different worlds, it's good for them.

  


"Tell me more about how Cleopatra lived." This one isn't as farfetched as the one I'd asked him to answer in the earlier afternoon. After out dip, we dried up, let Mira to swim his lengths in the pool and went back downstairs for a bit of private time. After that we had a shower and we've mostly been flopped on the living room couch since. I can't complain, it's a comfortable couch. I only asked him that question because I knew he was moments from drifting off and I couldn't have that, nope.

He rolls his eyes at me and I just grin at him, that shit eating grin absolutely in place. I can't help it. I know the look in his eyes, he's thinking about bucking me off of him and off the couch altogether but he won't do it. He's done it before, just once and when I fell, my head hit the low table and had I been human, I would have needed stitches and some medical attention. He fussed and worried over me for the following few days after that incident. I never held it against him.

"Don't feel like it." I pout at his answer and I lean back to sit up. I settle along his hips, my head to the side lightly, just watching him. He watches me right back as he crosses his arms to settle his hands beneath his head. I don't know who invented staring contests, all I know is that we have those now and again, they don't hurt anyone and whoever looks away first usually ends up having to deal with a 'chore' of sorts that we both tend to avoid doing unless it is absolutely necessary.

I know I break contact first but that grin is back and I laugh softly. He looks a little puzzled at my sudden amusement and one of his brow lifts slightly, just barely. Anyone else might not have noticed him but I've known him too long. I grin down at him again and I tilt my head to the other side. "Can you at least tell me who invented the staring contest?"

He almost bucks me off but I can see that he thinks better of the idea moments before putting it to action. He shakes his head and closes his eyes with a soft chuckle. "What are you, on a trip back memory lane today?"

I shrug as I move to settle back down against him. The heat is still semi-present outside but the apartments are now cool. At least hours is and I'm more than a little glad for that. I nestle against him lightly and he curls his arm about my waist. 

"I don't know. I'm just full of questions today, I guess it's my way of trying not to think about how this whole thing with Zora is going to stink for a while. I don't know what I'm supposed to make of her, she confuses me to no end. I thought we'd made progress when she started coming in for those shared suppers we have but since the cop thing she's just closed right back up. She can't be blaming us for that."

"I think she blames the world in general, Eoghan. There isn't much we can really do about it. You can't focus on that, it'll ruin your life."

"I'm sorry." I mumble, resting my head down against his shoulder. I feel him shake his head and he breathes a light sigh.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I'll tell you about Cleopatra, how's that?"

I laugh softly and just settle. "That sounds like a plan."


	13. A Label You Hate

"Is there an anti-gay convention in town or something? It feels like we're being overrun by straight folks waving their bibles around like those of us are different are sinners and we should all rot in hell." There is so much wrong with the world, I don't know where to start. I think this was one of those things, it has changed so much from the way it was when I grew up. Lex saw more of a change than me but I've seen it change. He told me that men being with men in the far-gone past was natural, it wasn't looked upon badly. I don't know when that changed, maybe when Christians came into the world or something.

We were just walking down the street to try out that little bakery Yael keeps on bringing bread from, we were shoulder to shoulder, minding our own business and folks who know us in this neighbourhood know we might look intimidating but we're harmless for the most part. We were just about to enter the bakery when this woman barged out, she saw us standing there and she started ranting at us about how we were sinning. Why? Because we were standing shoulder to shoulder? We weren't even holding hands. I don't get these folks.

I mean, I get them, they believe in what they believe and everyone else is wrong but that just gets to me. They label us with so many things and most of those labels are wrong. I'm not a sinner, I don't believe anyone can be in the long run. I'm not a criminal, I haven't killed anyone or hurt anyone, at least not recently and if I have it always has been an accident. I might be a 'homo' but that doesn't make me a bad person and I don't like to be called that anyway.

I'm just who I am, I wish people would stop trying to change others, it's exhausting, really.

  


After we got home, we left notes on doors to warn people that there were wanderers outside who looked like they could maim you if you even looked wrong. I'm a little afraid for the twins, they look different from the norms and I know some people look at them and think they're delinquents because of the colour of their hair. There's nothing they can do about it other than dye and I don't think they'd want to.

We went back up to our own apartment where Lex proceeded to mutter his unhappiness about the whole situation and I just flopped down on the couch. It's our flop-down spot, it's so huge we could probably fit almost everyone in the building here side by side and it'd still be comfortable. I yawn and I close my eyes. I'm ready to put it all behind me but I hear Lex's steps stop not far from where I am so I open my eyes and I look up to him.

"We should probably warn Quentin and Yael?" His words startle me a little, I don't know why I hadn't thought about these two. I mean, I know Quentin's temper will get the better of him and he'll talk this woman off her little dream world if given a chance but it's more Yael I'm worried about. He's so sensitive about these things. I'm a bit surprised, I honestly thought today was their usual day to get to the bakery and we didn't cross them. Maybe they went by earlier and maybe the crazy woman wasn't around.

"You have a point, it had slipped my mind. I mean there's no reason to start a war but we all should know what's wandering our streets currently." I feel like we're in some kind of horror movie or something close to that, when there's evil afoot and everyone is in danger. I don't think the crazies will come this far to the edge of the city but they might. I still don't know what this was all about, I've never seen that woman here before and I've lived in this city for years.

"I'll call them and you have a look around online to see what's going on in this city. This one woman more or less attacked us about the bond we shared that wasn't even visible to the eye but I've seen a few others wandering not far from her who were looking our way when she started dishing her all-important justice." I nod and I slip from the couch to head into my little office. I don't usually use my computer in that room but it is where we keep it. It seems the best of places.

I boot it up and start wandering around, looking through the city's news blog to try to find out what might have been going on in the city but I can't find anything. I have to assume that maybe just a group of folks have decided that this was their vacation destination. It's not a pleasant thought, it means I have absolutely no idea of how long they might be around. At least if it had been a convention I could have said that we'd have been safe and sound and they'd have been gone in a couple of days, now I don't know.

I have no fears of these people, I'm comfortable enough in my own skin that they can't get to me. I just can't help but think about the others though. Agni and Mira are still young and learning about life in general, I don't want them to be scarred by this kind of thing. Yael is not that easily hurt but I know he's sensitive. Armin, I think, can handle his own and, while I hate to say it, they might give him a break considering his condition. Maybe I should call them and offer to drive them to and back from work for a little while. It's not like it'd be much of an issue.

Yeah, I'll call them in a couple of hours when I know the morning semi-rush has died down and I'll explain the situation as it is. I'll take the regular car, no need for the sporty.

When Lex comes back my way and peers into the room, I shrug. I haven't found anything and I tell him about the idea I have that they might just be here on vacation. He mutters briefly under his breath and I can't help the slight smile that finds my lips. I know he doesn't like that kind of thing either. We've been through a lot of changes over the centuries. Some folks just can't change, no matter how much you try.

He tells me that Quentin and Yael had gone by earlier when the streets were near absolutely empty. Had gotten their bread and had come home without a hitch. I'm glad for that.

I tell him about the idea I had of offering to drive Armin and the twins to and from work and he nods before I turn the computer off and we both head back to the living room. 

It's not that our day has been ruined. We're both just a little startled that some little old lady came up to us to rant us out about something she had no proof of. I don't want anyone else to go through that if I can help it. At times I feel like mama bear, looking after everyone. It's actually a pretty comforting feeling. I guess that makes Lex papa bear. I tell him that much and he snickers softly, his head shaken.

We remain settled on the couch for another hour almost, just relaxing and letting the bad vibes from the crazy woman wash away. Eventually, we ease back to our feet and head into the kitchen to slice into that more than well earned bread. I take note of the time and jot down a little reminder to call Armin in an hour or so more so that I'm not bothering him. We'll just do all we can about this situation to make it a comfortable one.


	14. A New Spatula

We share cooking duties. Especially now that Zora is out somewhere, late every day in coming home. From the papers she leaves on the counter I figure she's still out looking for an apartment or she's working over to continue saving up for an apartment, I don't know. I don't want to leave this place and she can't force me to either.

Preparing the meals, however, has turned into a bit of a chore over the last couple of days because we've realized that most of our cooking utensils were poorly made. The spatula, for one, broke in my hand yesterday morning and we've had to somehow work without, it isn't easy.

I can understand that it might seem like an absolutely pointless thing to have to fuss without a spatula but when you use it daily to help with the meals, you realize how necessary it is. So today, after work, we asked Eoghan if he minded dropping us off at the cooking store. I'm not sure what exactly it is called but they sell cooking stuff of all kind, utensils, pots, pants, glasses, the whole thing. He asked if he wanted us to wait for us but since we didn't really know how long it might take us and he also had Armin with him, we told him to go on along and we'd walk back.

As we slipped from the car, he reminded us to be careful of some folks who were still wandering about in the streets and we told him we'd be fine. He left, we waved and stepped into the store. We really should have noted down what we needed, this place was crammed with stuff. The places to walk between the shelves was slight and I can't even imagine a cart would have made its way in there.

Mira snagged one of those little carry-on baskets and we went through the rows. We spotted the spatulas and actually took a couple of them, a couple ladles, a little of this and that. By the time we made it to the counter, we were sure it would cost us a fortune but the end price was actually well within our range, it was comforting. We even bought one of those reusable bags they had at the counter because honestly, I didn't trust the flimsy plastic bags they were about to hand to us. So we bought the reusable one and gathered everything in there. It had a slight weight but not an overly uncomfortable one so we took the easy route: we each took a handle. Something we'd done as kids before.

It didn't really cross my mind that some people might see us walking this way, side by side, carrying our bag like that and try to judge us. I honestly didn't really care if it happened. Mira looked a little uncertain but I know he does his best to be strong.

Plus, we've only had to walk to the bus stop, we still were a fair distance from home and we weren't about to walk that. We're healthy and young but we're not that crazy.

We sat at the bus stop, the bag between us. I'm the one who took it onto the bus and I set it between my feet when we moved to sit on a two-person seat. That way we wouldn't really have to move if someone else came along or tried to settle on either side of us. We don't much like it when folks get too close to us. We've had a few bad encounters on the bus before and we've learned our lesson.

Once off the bus I carried the bag half of the way home and he carried it to the door.

  


"I've realized that we take some stuff for granted." I look over at him as he sits at our little kitchen isle, just watching me dump the rest of the veggies into the pan to sauté them. I look down to the pan briefly then back up to him with one slightly quirked brow. He chuckles and shrugs.

"Like these spatulas. I never stopped to really think about how useful they are. I only really realized when the old one broke." I have to laugh softly. He's right though, I know that much. We take a lot of things in life for granted but it can't really be helped. Most of these things are small, minor little details in our life, exactly like our brand new spatula.

"Not everything though; I don't take for granted that Alexis and Eoghan are offering us this roof over our heads with no price tag attached to it. We have food in the fridge because Armin offered us that job. We're warm and comfortable-"

"-or cool and content," I add in, quietly.

"-or cool and content because we have this roof and because the AC runs fine in the summer and the heat in winter. We have friends, we speak the language a little more fluently than yesterday because we still get plenty of spoken exercise daily." He's right. He's absolutely right. There is plenty we take for granted because it's there, with us but we really don't think much about it all because we're so used to making use of those things.

"Think Zora's going to be coming home late tonight again?"

I can only shrug my answer as I add in the cooked meat into the veggies to warm it up again. "Maybe she's not really looking for an apartment but she's just acting like she is. Maybe she found some guy and she doesn't want us to know about it."

Mira blinks at me, looking baffled that I might even bring that idea up but after a moment he's laughing and I shake my head. We've never really seen Zora with anyone. She was too busy taking care of us. Now that we mostly can take care of herself, maybe some guy swept her off her feet and she's been spending time there, it's hard to know. She comes home late several nights a week and she doesn't really tell us where she's been or what she's been doing. It doesn't matter much at this point.

She no longer really looks pissed when she comes home but I just can't read how she might be feeling in her face. She just mostly looks tired. We haven't exactly spoken to her in a couple of weeks at least. She comes home, she warms up left overs (only every other night), eats and then goes to her room to sleep. It's like we're living with a ghost.

I shake the thought off as Mira brings out three plates. I serve everything up, we cover her plate but leave it on the counter for now, in case she comes home early. When we're done with our meal and she still isn't home, we wrap it up and set it into the fridge. It's already become something of a routine for us.

Mira wanders off to the bathroom, more than likely to wash up after our day at work and I take a bit of time to wash the dishes. I know we have a dishwasher but I don't really see the point of filling it up over the course of several days. It's just so much easier to wash the dishes as they get dirtied, to clean up right as we get done about things. I'm not sure where I got this habit from but I feel like it's been with me from the start. Usually, whoever cooks cleans up and since we alternate nights, it's not much of a chore.

Once I'm done with the dishes, I put everything away and almost lovingly I finish up with the spatula, putting it in its spot and I chuckle. "I guess we do take you for granted but can we be blamed, really?"


	15. Hidden from Your Eyes

"Don't look." The words, whispered in my ears, send a shiver down my spine. I don't know how to feel. We were just out walking when he suddenly moved from besides me to behind me and he covered my eyes. I trust him, with everything I am but this baffles me. I don't understand what's going on.

"Quentin?" I murmur his name around a lump forming in my throat, I don't know why I'm suddenly uncomfortable, suddenly afraid. He wouldn't do something like this unless he had an absolutely valid reason and I can imagine that he does, I just don't know what it is.

"I want you to turn around to face me. Keep your eyes closed. When you're facing me, you can open your eyes but only look at me, do you understand?" It is not often that he tells me what to do like this but I know he has to have his reason, really. I close my eyes and I nod slightly. He doesn't move his arms or his hands from my eyes so I slowly turn around, best as I can, in the confined space of his hold. Once I'm facing him and I feel his hands move from the back of my head to my shoulders, I open my eyes and I tip my head down just slightly, barely, to look at him in confusion.

There's an uncertain sort of smile on his lips, the sad sort of smile that I've come to know over the time I've been with him as being his 'there's something wrong but I don't want you to worry about things' smile. I frown but he shakes his head and lifts his hands again to rest them to my cheeks, to keep me looking at him.

"You're scaring me, Quentin." The words still are low as they escape my throat, I don't know that I can speak any more loudly right now. Everything feels wrong, as if it all is tied with a single line that could snap at any given moment.

"I know, I'm sorry. We're going to keep walking in this direction now. No looking back to the way we were walking just moments ago, promise me." Now I know there's something wrong behind me but I trust him. I nod slowly and he releases my cheeks.

"I promise, Quentin." I know he's only looking out for me. I still don't know if it's Sterling's death or something else that might have happened to me while I was young but the nightmares are always easy to find me. I might see a poor animal squished on the side of the road and I'll have at least one bad dream about it. When I saw that poor man get killed just about in front of my eyes it took weeks before I slept easier. Of course it is what brought Quentin and me together but that's not really the point.

Finally, he moves from in front of me to my side, he settles his arm along my waist and he guides me away. I walk with him. I feel a little numb but I know that's sort of natural. I know my night will be uncomfortable but there will be nothing to fuel the nightmares I usually get. Whatever was hidden from me will remain hidden and that is all there is to that.

When we're two corners away, he lessens his hold on my waist slightly and only now do I realize that he had been holding onto me tightly, not just holding but guiding. He was making sure we were getting away from whatever that was without my looking back. I'm thankful for that.

"Was it really bad?" My voice comes a little easier now though it still is absolutely soft. He leans his head briefly against my shoulder as he stops and I stop with him. He sighs, looks into the distance then he straightens and looks up to me. He tries to smile but I know he won't really manage and it'll be forced.

"It wasn't too bad but I still didn't want to chance it." His words are gentle and warm, there is no accusation in there that I can tell.

"I'm sorry I'm so easily prone to nightmares." I can't help myself. At times I feel like there are some things we don't do because of how easily it is for me to fall into the realm of the dark and frightening when I sleep. He squeezes my waist again and I turn slightly to face him, he follows the motion and he pulls me into an embrace that is comforting in ways I have no words. I rest my head to the top of his as he squeezes me tightly.

"You have nothing to be sorry about. You have nightmares and my temper is terrible. We both have issues and all we can do is work on them as best as we can." I nod as I straighten and he releases me. It makes sense.

  


I'm almost jittery now that we're back home. We'd gone on the walk because the day had been so peaceful we still had an extra bit of energy to use up before we could sleep. Now I feel like I might never sleep and I know it's not all that good a thing. I pace near the foot of the bed as I listen to the sounds of the shower. I could have gone in to share with him and I don't know why I didn't. It just didn't feel right this one time. It doesn't matter. I had a shower this morning and it was enough. The air outside still is humid to the point of mild discomfort during the day but it's easier in the evenings and I haven't really sweated that bad. At least, I don't think I have and I don't think I smell.

When he comes out of the bathroom with a towel about his waist, I've finally managed to settle down on the edge of the bed but I still feel restless. He tilts his head to the side at the sight of me and chuckles softly before he steps closer. As if to catch my attention, he gently tugs on a lock of my hair. I turn my gaze to him, questioning and he smiles softly. "How about you go and take a bath? That should relax you, no?"

I do ponder the idea of a bath for a moment, it could be an interesting idea but I'm not big on baths. I could have a go at the steam shower too, just sitting while I turn into a lobster but that doesn't really appeal either. I shrug, a sheepish sort of smile to my lips as he rounds to his side of the bed. I slip to the other side and I crawl in, willing myself to relax.

When he settles in, I shift closer, the motions automatic at this point and I nuzzle his shoulder with a sigh. This is my favourite spot in the world. I admit that nightmares have helped me grow closer to him, they brought us to sharing a bed, so they're not all bad. I'm not saying I wish I had a nightmare every time something needed done in our lives but it has helped somewhat to this day.

He curls his arm about my waist and I sigh, just closing my eyes. "I'm sorry if I don't sleep well tonight, Quentin."

He turns his head, pressing his lips to my forehead and I can almost sense the curl of his lips against my skin, he's smiling. "Nightmares or not, Yael, we just sleep, we rest. We work through the night, then the day, then the following night and so on. You know as well as I do that I'll always make sure you're as comfortable here in my arms as you can be."

"Thank you, Quentin." These emotions still choke me up every time, I have a hard time believing he's accepting me for who I am and he's accepted this love with share. It's so beautiful.


	16. With a Shovel

"Eoghan." The way he speaks my name usually tells me what he wants to talk about but now I only somewhat sense the idea of a question in his tone. I turn away from the little shed I was digging through to look at him, my head tilted somewhat to the side.

He nods towards the little shovel I've brought out of the shed and I blink in question. At times I swear we could have conversations like these without sharing a single word and that without even the use of my gift since, to me, that counts as talking and using words.

"You're not going to try and dig up treasure again, are you?" He sounds vaguely amused, I think, I'm not entirely sure. His words confuse me and I think it must show on my face because he rolls his eyes and he laughs softly. "I find it hard to think you might have forgotten that one. I don't recall if it was you or Quentin who found that little map and all four of us ended up out there in the woods, you two digging away. You got sick."

I think it's the mention of me getting sick that brings the memory back to the surface. I do recall how there had been a map not even a year ago. We'd gathered shovels and we'd just dug and dug. Of course we hadn't found anything. My cheeks warm in a blush when I think back to the fact that yes, I got sick and Lex just used his very hands on technique to make sure I would sweat all of the bad out. It had worked, I'd slept late the following morning but I was mostly clear of the fever. It had felt good though I admit my memory of the night before that is a little hazy.

"Nope, not digging for treasure, I'm just looking through. Some of these things are really old and I figured it might have been time to replace them. That's all." He looks me over for good measures, maybe to make sure I'm not hiding another pirate treasure map somewhere on my person and I just chuckle as he does. I know he trusts me, he only does this for show. I see no harm to it and neither does he, really.

"I guess that makes sense and this shovel is old, I'm not even sure if you're the one who brought it in or if it came with me things."

"Well the mower came with your things. And it's dying, we should probably think about buying a new one."

"We'll think about it." I know he does all of this just to amuse himself, those little moments of 'I don't know, we'll think about it'. It doesn't bother me, it leaves a little more to our relationship. I can't imagine how things would be if we were constantly agreeing to what the other said without really giving it any thought at all.

So I go back to digging through the little shed. Off to one side we have the toys we've all placed back where they belong, all the games. Tennis rackets and balls, badminton stuff, a football, all black and white, jumping ropes and several other things. Just random stuff we've acquired over the years, mostly. To the other side there are all the tools we keep out for gardening and yard tending. I'm surprised this shed didn't go to hell along with the rest of everything when Zora had her little wind-hissy fit. I'm glad though, a lot of what's here is small and easily lost though I have to say we're still finding bits and pieces of broken brick on the yard, it's hell on the mower.

To the side I end up with the very old shovel, with a pick I can't even recall ever seeing and one of those half-circle shaped tools that I don't even know the use of. Lex looks it over and he shrugs. It might have been there before, the shed was an old building we mostly just fixed up, it already was on the yard when we had the warehouse done over.

We take those to the bin, settling them out next to it. I know someone might just come about and take off with those before the trash folks come to pick them up. We have one pair in particular who wander the streets just before trash day and they pick up anything that has metal content to it. I suppose it might sell well. I've seen them with old chairs and bed frames, old fridges and broken tools, so I know they mostly pick up everything and anything so long as it has metal. That's fine by me.

I take note of what we threw out that we'll need to replace. The shovel should be an easy replacement, the pick as well, the half-circle one I'll have to ask at the store since I have no idea what its use is. If we have no use for it, there's no point in replacing it, after all.

When we go back to the shed, I do the same on the side of the toys and games. I figure some of these are pretty old and might just break if we're a little too rough on them and I don't want to chance that. I'm careful with what I bring out, I'm not about to throw away stuff that still is in perfectly (or mostly so) good shape.

Lex is the one with the small notepad and he's the one who jots down what I'm bringing out to throw away. It's late in the season to be doing this, I'm aware. I suppose this is mid-summer cleaning that should have been done in spring but we had a lot more going on then and today is a quiet, mostly overcast day. The temperature is comfortable and doesn't make me want to just flop somewhere under the AC vent and not move for the rest of the day.

Once I'm certain I've cleared out the old from the still usable, we gather it all up and that we drop directly into the bin itself. Most of it is wood and plastic, I don't see how anyone could make use of any of it. I know that most of the wood stuff we could have essentially burned in the fire pit we have here in the yard but I don't know how well it would have burned and if it would have smoked a lot or not. It's not because we have no close-by neighbours, Quentin and Yael aside, that we should smoke up the surroundings with bad wood.

I leave Lex by the bin to head back to the shed, mostly just to close the door. As I do that much, a first drop falls on my arm and I look up to the sky with a startled note. I hadn't expected rain. Plenty of clouds up there but they don't look like the type to dump rain on us. I shrug it off, close the door as more drops of rain begin to fall. I laugh, amused more than anything else since I know rain won't kill me and I head back up to meet with Lex who moved to stand beneath the little bit of overhang we have above the door.

I don't know whether to be amused or just flat out glad that the downpour only happens moments after we're both safe and mostly dry inside. I look out the glass door briefly and shake my head. I really hadn't expected that, not that it hurts, water's good for the ground, we haven't really gotten much rain this summer, the grass has suffered a little bit for it.

Shaking my head, we both turn back and start to the elevator. We could take the stairs but it seems so much simpler to just take the moving box up to our floor where I'll dry up and we'll just settle to appreciate a daily bit of quiet.


	17. Birth Right

I'm surprised that he wanted us to do today's lesson by the pool. I know he doesn't swim so this is a little confusing. Still, I can't refuse him when he asks if I consider that he rarely, nearly never asks for anything at all in the long run. He's such a quiet soul, you could almost forget he exists. He's never asked for a particular theme for our suppers, he's never complained about anything, he's never much of anything, he's so keep to himself, so quiet.

So last time when he said he thought maybe spending our next 'session' up here by the pool would be nice, I sure as hell couldn't say no. If he wants to spend time by the pool I'll be happy to spend that time with him. It's for him that we're meeting up this way anyway so I can continue to help him along the pathway to a stronger mind barrier. I'm sure he'd appreciate spending another session in the tanks but he hasn't been brought up. I leave it to him to decide what he wants from life.

Another thing that surprised me is when I came up here, he was already sitting by the pool with his legs in the water. I've never seen him wear anything other than pants and I've never seen him roll those pants up at all. The twins wear shorts during the heat of the summer but not Armin, I know it's more than likely because of his leg, I know he's afraid still of being judged and I can't fault him for that. So to see him with his legs in the water, wearing what did look to be shorts, I was very surprised. Pleased that he trusts me this much but surprised that he did actually own a pair of shorts at all.

When I settle next to him, he smiles up to me before he looks down to the water. I tilt my head to the side and I take off my sandals and drop my legs into the freshness. I'm glad we had the temperature controller installed. It's much better this way. "I'm surprised you wanted us to meet up here, Armin, but I'm pleased you did. Water is a good companion to anyone." It is to me and to Mira, I know Agni likes water though he wouldn't want to swim in there alone. Lex is something of a fish though he prefers to swim alone and (with me on the side) and usually bared.

He smiles up to me before he lightly kicks his legs in the water and chuckles. "I thought it would be different. I guess I've been thinking about learning to swim. I don't mean to ask you to teach me, this is just a thought I've had."

"I would be happy to teach you to swim, really. You know that no one in this building will judge you for how you look." I speak the words as honestly as I can. I know they're a lie but the one person who might judge him never comes up here to the roof and she's rarely around lately as it is either. He shrugs and looks up to the sky beyond the slightly tainted glass of the greenhouse-like setup we have around the whole pool.

We stay in silence for a while, I feel like this is what it should be, I don't want to disturb him when he looks as thoughtful as he does. "I've been thinking about my parents a lot lately. I don't remember much from them other than the basic stuff since they didn't really spend much time at home with me. If I bring them up to the top of my memories, would you have any ways of knowing if my father really is my blood father?"

I know what he's asking. I could prod into his memories to find more about his parents, his blood would speak to me. What he wants to know, though, is if the man who raised him is the man who fathered him. A simple enough blood test would tell him that much but I can't imagine he'd want to go through all that trouble.

I smile down at him and I shake my head gently. "I could in a way, Armin, but I don't think it would give you the answer you're looking for. I still don't know how far up your lineage goes. I don't know if it was your father who was gifted or even your mother, if it wasn't one of their parents. Your gift is strong, it's not diluted too much so I'm thinking it's either your parents or theirs but I wouldn't really be able to tell you exactly."

As if to help the message along that I'm sorry I can't really give him the answer he wants, I reach out, brush my fingers along his cheek. He sighs and leans into the touch and something breaks in my heart a little. Every time I do this he reacts this way, he just leans against the touch as if he was starved for affection. I wish I could give him more but it's really not my place. Lex wouldn't hold it against me but I don't want to give Armin any false hopes though I think he would know better.

"So tell me again how this gift thing really works. It is handed down from a parent to the child so in a way it has to be either my father or my mother, or whoever my mother might have slept with, believing he was my father. I don't think my father has ever shown signs of this kind of gift, nor has my mother.."

His words are soft but steady. I ease my hand away and I take off my shirt before I slip into the pool as a whole. These shorts are light, they'll dry easily and I had nothing in my pockets, I'm not much worried about that. I turn to face him and he blinks at me, his eyes a little wide, startled by my motions. I laugh softly and shake my head. 

Along his surface thoughts, I gather snippets of information about Agni and Mira and even Zora, about how their gifts seem rather random and I can't help another gentle laugh. I gather some water in my hands and I empty it over his head, he laughs, startled as well and I grin.

"Well it is rather simple, really. Gifts are birthrights. That's the short answer. The long answer is a bit more complex, imagine it this way. I don't know exactly how the Bachchan's family gifts go—I caught that from your wandering thoughts—but I imagine it's something like this: One grandparent could be a wind-gifted soul and the other water. The child could be both or one, or the other, there's no way of knowing really. The other set of grandparents could be earth-gifted and their counterpart fire. So in the long run, when children are born, usually both gifts are in their blood but only one takes place, one dominates the other and the other remains dormant. When these adults have children of their own, all gifts are handed down to the children but only one awakens."

I pause to let that sink in and watch his eyes as he takes in that information, he nods and I go on.

"In some rare cases, though I've only ever met one in all of my years and I think Lex might have only ever met two himself, the gifts battle for dominance and both are strong in the body so both are present. It makes things much more difficult to handle, having to learn to control two gifts at once. In the case of the young woman I'd met, she was born of a demon who held control over chaos and her mother was a demon gifted with water. There were a lot of typhoons and huge tropical storms happening while she grew up, it wasn't pretty."

Again he nods and I hold out my hand as I step back slightly. I try for my most charming smile and he tilts his head to the side in curiosity. "Come on into the water, I promise we won't go too far and I'll keep you safe from anyone who might try to do us any harm."

I can't help the soft, playful grin that I feel settling on my face. He nods and he takes his shirt off. My breath catches at the sight of the scars on him. I'd never really expected them. He smiles at me though it is a sad smile as he drops the shirt down next to him. "Oh Armin I never would have thought-"

He shakes his head, a shrug to his shoulder and he holds both his arms out. I know this is just his way of asking me to help him into the water but this is beyond me and I step closer, pulling him into a fierce sort of hug. He laughs, a startled sound but he hugs me back as tightly as he can. I can't help myself, I just want to protect him to the end of the world, I feel like I was just given a chance at having a kid brother to look out for.

When I release him, though only partly, he smiles up at me again, his smile is warm and open and I pull him gently into the water. At first he looks uncertain but when his gaze meets mine, I can see how much he trusts me and it's like I'm all over the place with wanting to keep him so absolutely safe that I don't know what to do with myself.

I will keep him safe. This I promise to myself and I vow to uphold. I'll never let anything harm him so long as I can help it.


	18. Lawnmower

"This one looks good, I think it would work well." I look over his shoulder and I have to wonder at what's going on in his mind. I don't think he realizes just how big the yard really is. It's late in the season to be buying a new mower but we have to, we've had to throw the old one out after it ran through one too many left over bits of broken bricks. I hired someone to go through the yard and pretty much just pick up everything that wasn't grass or flowers that could bloom without taking over after we threw the mower out.

"Eoghan, with how much land we've got to cover despite that I know the weather's been poor for the grass this year and I think we should probably see about buying some grass seeds to sow over the empty batches of burnt ground. A riding mower might be a better idea?" He looks at me a moment as if he has no idea what I'm talking about but then his eyes clear and he blushes lightly. He shrugs and rubs the back of his neck somewhat. "Come on, let's have a look at the riding mowers."

"We'll have to get a bigger shed."

I shrug and chuckle as I walk him away from the smaller, pushed mowers and towards the seated ones. So much bigger and of course we can't take it home ourselves, it'll need delivered and I don't mind, really. "We can get a bigger shed, it would be cleaner and less chances of the wood rotting if we buy one that's either metal or more than likely the new plastic kind. I saw a tri-folding door one on our way in, it cold do the job. It's big and comfortable, we only need to buy a few slabs of concrete to set up on the floor so it'll have a stable base."

He nods and walks along, letting me decide on the bigger bits and pieces. It's always been easier for me. I don't think it's because of my age so much as it's because I just have experience. I've been through house-building more times than I can really count and the rest is just extra.

We step into the riding-mower section and I let him go 'oh' and 'ah' over a few different models. At times, I swear, he's too adorable for his own good and that over the oddest of things. Someone from the store finally seems to spot us and comes our way. Questions are asked and answered, more questions are asked, those with a bit less clear answers but we still can make an easy choice of the mower we want. That information is noted and he's moments from leading us to the tills so we can pay for our purchase and set up the delivery when I mention the need for a shed to go with the mower along with some slabs for the flooring.

It doesn't really take much time to get it all set up and written down, paid for and we're on our way home with the knowledge that within the next couple of days we'll have a delivery of all we need. That the ground would be flattened, the slabs settled and they'd even build up the shed since it seems to be easier that way.

  


In the early morning of not the following day but the one after, two trucks pull up to the building and I'm more than glad to get out of bed and meet up with them while Eoghan still rolls around and grumbles about not getting enough sleep. I admit we were up rather late but I don't need extra sleep. That and I know that if I do get tired for some reason, I can simply settle down for a nap. The crew from the store drop off the mower and the shed. From the other truck, a three-man crew begin to bring out the slabs and a few tools. I don't know which of the two will set up the shed but I don't really care.

It doesn't take them much time to flatten out the ground where we'd previously decided the shed would best be. Not too far from the garage but just far enough to allow plenty of room to roam with the mower between the two. The slabs are down just as the first truck drives away. I guess these guys will be setting up the shed. They look plenty competent.

I stay out of the way, just watching them unpack everything, it seems like a lot of equipment for one single shed and it makes me glad that we did decide to let the experts work on it. I look back to the yard, the new table, chairs, the swing, the rebuilt grill, yes, I'm very glad we decided to let the experts do their job.

It's easy to understand why they came so early though. I imagine they have other setups to get done and the day is already beginning to warm in a somewhat uncomfortable way. It takes them nearly three hours to get it all put up and together but once they're done I know we've picked the right shed. It is bright, almost beige in colour so I know it won't get too hot in there though the roof is a deeper sort of brown. They've even set up the shelves in there.

I thank them deeply when they're done even though I know they were just doing their job. I know people like these are taken for granted. 'Oh they're just doing their jobs, they don't need to be thanked, they're being paid to do it.' You can still thank someone for doing something for you, even if they're paid for it.

They pick up their tools and head on back towards their truck. I wait until they're gone before I walk toward the mower so I can at least bring it inside its brand new safety spot. It doesn't take long before I get it settled where I want and I head back towards the old shed so I can move its content from old to new. I know Eoghan told me we'd do this together but I'm already outside and I'd rather this be done sooner rather than later so the old shed can be torn down and those bits and pieces thrown away.

I just want our yard to be as safe and sound as possible.

  


"You were supposed to wait for me." The pout is clear as day in his voice as I step back into the cooler air of our home. I shrug lightly and stretch my arms over my head with a soft yawn.

"I was but you were still deep asleep when they first came up. You could have come down at any time while they were working, they've been here for almost three hours so don't start pouting at me about how I didn't want for you. It's hot out there and I don't think either one of us really would have wanted to do any of what I've just finished doing later this afternoon when the heat would have been even more scorching." My voice is quiet, without a hint of scolding. He sighs and I know this mock-battle is done and over with. There won't be any arguing and it's for the best, really. "I know you wanted to help, Eoghan. If it makes you feel better, most of the games and the smaller pieces I've essentially piled in one of the corners, you can set those up however you might want when it's cooler out, all right?"

He sticks his tongue out at me and disappear back into the bedroom, more than likely to finish getting dressed. That's plenty fine by me, I feel filthy and the need for a shower is rather up front in my mind at this point. I'll shower and then we can keep ourselves busy with other, mostly meaningless things. 


	19. follow the __________

I am now more than a little glad we don't live anywhere near town center. The edge of town is the perfect place for me. While we might be in danger if there ever is a fire and it takes the fire department a moment to show, I still don't think it would be an issue, so long as Mira is around though I'm sure Agni would have some control over those flames too. Recently, I guess it's the height of the heat in July at this point, I'm really just wanting everything to calm down again. Not that I'm wishing it was winter again, last winter was pretty bad but this summer has been tough and hot and dry despite how humid it all feels.

It's not hard to know what's been happening, this is an easy case of 'follow the smoke trails'. Even from our floor I can see the smoke from downtown and it is even more visible from the roof. I'm sure if I'd had to step outside for anything at all today I would have seen it from the ground too. I just hope this one is no where near the library. I could call but I think they might have already called to tell us otherwise.

Wait, can they even call? I think Armin has recently gotten a phone but I don't even think the twins have one. We might have to rectify that. It would help in making me feel more comfortable about things. I really do feel like a mother bear most of the time lately when I think about these two. I wish Zora would at least open up about whatever she's been doing of her evenings so we know what's going on but she's silent as can be. She's barely talked to her brothers from what they've told me.

Well it doesn't matter. I'll make sure they stay here safe with us whenever she decides to do whatever it is she's spending all of her time on. I really wanted to trust her, I still do want to trust her but she's just not open to the idea of trusting us since the incident, I suppose I can't blame her though we'd given her plenty of reason to trust us to this day. One small incident shouldn't have changed everything though I know life is that way, some people are like that.

  


"Has it been burning long?" I startle somewhat when Lex pops up over my shoulder to look out the window. I guess I hadn't realized I'd settled there to look out, I'm not even sure how long I've been there.

"What time is it?" I tilt my head to look back up to him and he chuckles softly, ruffling his hand lightly through my hair. "I think you might be due for a haircut and it's nearly noon."

Noon. I've been sitting here watching this smoke waft about for almost two hours. Most of what's left now has to just be smoke lifting up from the watered remains, at least I hope. I feel bad for whoever might have lost their roof or their jobs because of that fire. "At least two hours, it was already burning when I first spotted it around ten."

I lift my hand, feel out my hair. It is getting a little longer than I'm comfortable with, I prefer to usually keep it pretty close cut. No where near a buzz cut, that's just not my thing but I suppose it's not much longer. "I guess I am due for a cut, you busy?"

He laughs and without answering he steps back into our bedroom and I know he's heading into the bathroom to get the scissors and the comb. I could go to a barber or a hairdresser but really, I have no need to when he's around, he knows how I like my hair cut and he does a wonderful job of it. I trust him with just about anything and everything around my head as necessary and scissors aren't an issue.

While he's gathering the necessary bits and pieces from the bathroom, I find that old rug we keep around most for situations like these. I set it out in the living room where the light is brightest and I take one of our kitchen stool and set it in the middle. When Lex comes back, he has the scissors and a fine-toothed comb in one hand and in the other, the hair cutting cape. It's an old thing, I can't even remember where or why we got it at all but we have it and it gets its use now and again, like now, of course.

I settle on the stool and he drapes the cape along my throat, settling it along my shoulders and about me. I tilt my head up to him with a soft, playful sort of grin. "Just a little off the top, sir."

He rolls his eyes, the motion playful and he settles for shortening my hair just so. It always is 'just so' when it comes to my hair. I've gone through a lot of hair stylists during the decades we were apart and not a single one of them could get my hair done the way I really wanted it to be. I guess I'm picky about this but it is my hair and it's just one of those things I appreciate about my looks.

"I think the twins might be due for haircuts too though, don't you think?" It's a thought that crosses my mind but it's true. I don't know how Zora saw to keeping their hair as short as it was when we first met them. I guess she might have managed to beg enough money to get them cuts at barbers around the town.

He shrugs as he snips a bit more hair here and there, I know I'll need a shower after that and while I've had one when I got up, I don't really mind another one, it'll get the rest of these fine hairs off of me. They always tickle. "Though I guess it would be up to them to decide if they want their hair shortened or not, it still is pretty short."

"You're just used to wearing yours shorter." He brushes some hair away from the nape of my neck, the scissors snip one last time and he takes one step back. "You're good to go. Go on and shower, I'll vacuum this up."

I nod and he carefully takes the cape off, getting the worst of the cut hair onto the rug I'd set there for that very reason. At least it makes it easier to just pull up the four corners and pretty much just shake it out outside then vacuum the rest up, what little is left.

I stretch, arms high over my head while gazing out the window again. "It's still smoking though it was a lot darker than that this morning. This is what, the third building that's been taken down by the flames in the last two weeks?"

I know the number is just about right and I can't help but find it really sad. Most of the buildings in the downtown area are old, they're the kind of buildings that you can't find anymore, they're not quite ancient but it's not far from that. It's a shame to lose that kind of history because of the heat but I know there's nothing I can do about it. There's nothing a single one of us can do about it.

A shower will clear my thoughts to a point. Knowing Lex, he might just pull down the inner curtains over the windows. They're sheer, they don't hide much but they hide just enough to keep us from staring outside constantly and wondering just how many lives might have been lost in this one.


	20. Underground

"Have we added 'caves' to that list of places we want to visit?" He calls the words out from the living room where I guess he's watching a documentary. It mostly is the only thing we watch at this point. The music channels are one thing but nearly everything else we don't bother with. It's my fault, I know. I'm too sensitive. I see something troubling and it gets to me, then I can't sleep for I don't know how many days and then everything just sort of falls apart. I'm dramatizing but it feels that way, at times I feel like I'm holding him back. It is not a pleasant sort of feeling.

I'm honestly not sure what he means by caves though. I guess it might be one cave in particular, I'll have to ask him though I'm not going to start yelling through the house, that's not even any way to discuss things. If he wants to talk to me he'll have to come my way. My door is open, I'm just sketching a few ideas to paper and he knows that when the door is open, he can come in and talk to me. When the door is closed is something else altogether though. It's just one of the rules of our lives together. My studio door is closed he leaves me be, his working room door is closed, I leave him be. He still doesn't spend much time in there but I know he's planning a few different projects. That's fine, if his passion can grow the way mine still does to this day, I think we'll have managed something wonderful.

His steps shuffle a little as he gets up from the couch and he comes my way. It only takes him a few moments before he's leaning against the frame of the door and I look back up to him. He stops, mouth partially opened and I'm not sure what he was going to say. Instead of saying anything, he laughs softly and steps closer. He wets his thumb lightly in his mouth and he rubs at a spot high along my cheekbone. I close my eyes and I let him, only opening them when he steps back.

"You had a dark smudge of charcoal." Oh, well that explains that. He grins as my cheeks take on the rosy hint of blush and I look back to my sketch for a moment, then to him again. A silent question to know what he meant about the caves, since I assume this is why he's at my door now.

"I was thinking that we could add caves to our traveling list. I was watching this documentary on caves and underground passages and stuff. I mean some of these caves out there are underwater and you have to dive to get to them but a lot of others don't need any special equipment, you just sort of go and visit and stuff."

"And stuff." I have to quirk a brow, I grin at him and he shrugs with a slight chuckle of his own. 'And stuff' is his statement at the moment when he can't really think of anything else to add but thinks there's a lot more that could be added. It's cute.

"I guess we could put caves on our list. I guess it's your desire of the moment." I can't help the amusement really. I know I've done exactly the same thing when I added 'mountains' to our list. That is so vague but it amuses me. I don't know why, at that point I wanted to climb a mountain and I wanted to make it special, that really all there is to that one.

  


I didn't really get to finish my sketching, not that it's that much of an issue. I was putting charcoal in most places but the one where I wanted it to be and that was on my sketchpad. Of course, before I went anywhere I ended up in the bathroom to wash up because I was a mess. More than I'd realized too but I suppose that doesn't really matter that much. I had smudges in several places on my face and several on my arms. At least, thank goodness, my shirt and my pants are black so even if there were smudges on there, I was the only one who might have known about them at all.

Washing up done, I wandered off to the living room where he'd set out a couple of glasses of juice along with the pitcher on the low table, a couple of pillows for more comfortable television watching and he waited until I was settled until he got back to the channel he'd been watching before. I honestly think we can pause our television, I'm not sure, it's stuff I don't really understand too well. I'm not sure why he decided on switching channels while I was getting ready but it doesn't matter much. These are all little quirks that make him who he is and that is more than fine by me, it won't change how much I love and adore him.

I settle down next to him but he doesn't scoot closer, I'm thankful for that. The heat is still uncomfortable outside and while our AC works fine inside, there still is some sticky humidity inside that makes sitting too close uncomfortable after short amounts of time. I don't want to just wander off on him after I've just settled down.

The first cave I come face to face with is some place they call the Reed Flute Cave. I admit it is absolutely gorgeous, the colours are to die or and I feel inspiration swell clearly. We could add in caves to our visiting list, I'm just not sure how comfortable I might be with the idea of being underground in this way. I mean, I feel safe in this house despite that I know that by some freak accident it could tumble down and kill us both. I feel that way about caves. They're mainly underground, if something happens while in there, there's nothing that can be done. You're pretty much stuck there until you die.

I shiver, I know it's just a mild note of fear from me and I try to shrug it off as a note from the AC as it kicks back on. I reach for one of the glasses of juice and I bring it to my lips for a slight sip. If he wants to visit caves, I might try to work on my fear of them to see to it that he does something he really wants to at one point in his life.

By the time we get there, he might have changed his mind about the idea of visiting deadly places like that and we might not go. I know it's childish. These caves have been there forever and no one has ever died in them from being crushed in or from being stuck after an avalanche or something of the sort so I have no true reason for being afraid, I just can't help it.

I know Quentin has his own fears, one of them involves avalanches so my idea of going up a snowy mountain scares the shit out of him but he still allowed me to put that information on our trip wish list and I know he'd do it if I really asked him to. I might not, it was just an idea lost in the middle of a lot of different ideas. Our list has grown so long that I don't know that we might ever get through all of it. Not for age factors, of course, but who knows if most of those places will still be the way the are now when we're finally ready to travel and visit the world?


	21. Turnip Soup

"Mira, what is that?" I have to assume it is soup, not something we eat often in the summer and in this heat but I guess it's not so bad, I'm just not sure what is supposed to be in it. The clear, cream colour of it could have led me to a few different ideas but none of them seem proper when I taste it.

My brother turns away from the kitchen, in the process of finishing up the preparation of grilled cheese. Today has been a long day, Zora, for once, left us a note when she left this morning saying she would only be back the following day so we had to behave and prepare ourselves something healthy for supper, and neither one of us felt like working on something complicated, so soup and grilled cheese. Where has she been lately to want to tell us to behave and eat something healthy for our meal? It's not because she's not around that we'll go out to eat fast-food. I don't even like the taste of the stuff and I know Mira doesn't care for any of it either, so we're good and safe on that ground.

Usually though, with grilled cheese—these do have bits of apple and brie in them so I guess they're not the ordinary kind—we tend to stick with tomato soup or creamed corn or something simple and while I suppose this is simple, I still have no idea as to what it might be so yes, I'm confused and he looks a little confused as he puts the sliced, grilled sandwich on my plate.

"That's soup, d'uh."

I have to roll my eyes at him though I only chuckle and I point at my bowl again. "I'm aware this is soup, Mira, I'm asking about what's in it."

"Ah, turnips were on sale this week and I didn't know how else to prepare them. I could have grilled them but that would have required using the stove and that's too much work and too much heat right now."

He has a point on the stove and I guess we did need to use these turnips before they turned bad. I don't recall ever eating them before though I'm sure they've been in our plates while Zora has prepared meals for us, though maybe not, maybe with Eoghan and Lex and the others. That might make more sense.

"It doesn't taste bad, does it?" Now he's slicing through his grilled sandwich and setting it to the plate sitting next to mine. I shake my head and the worry eases away from his face.

"It's good, really. I just didn't know what it was and no amount of digging around in my brain would come up with any clear cut idea of what it was supposed to be. You've outdone yourself tonight Mira, thank you." He blushes, it's a subtle sort of thing but it's there and I can't help the smile that settles to my lips. He deserves so much in this life, at times I feel like we've both been a little cheated by the world in general and it just hurts, really.

Finally, he's rounding the counter and coming to settle next to me. He multitasks better than me. I don't know that I would have been able to keep an eye on the soup while preparing the sandwiches and grilling them and all. Everything is warm at once and that's just perfect. I don't mind if we eat cold but if the meals can be eaten as hot or warm as they should be then it's all the better.

"Thank you for the meal." I've read, somewhere in a book, that in the Japanese cultures, they say thanks for the food before the meal and after. I think it makes sense. You're thankful to have food to eat and once you've eaten it, you're thankful that you've had food to eat, it really makes sense.

He smiles, an almost shy smile though it warms after a moment as he takes a sip of the soup. He nods to himself, as if he's now certain that he's made the right choice and that the soup is just fine. "I thought about making us a cream of mushroom but the turnips really called so me so I worked with them instead, you're sure it's all right?"

"Mira, it's perfect, don't worry." He ducks his head, sheepish and I gently bump my shoulder to his before going back to my food. It's a simple sort of meal and I can't complain, I love eating simpler meals, especially in the summer. More complex meals in the winter are more fun because you have a little of everything, it's piping hot and you get to just warm up gradually with everything you eat.

I offer my help for the dishes and he allows me. Usually whoever prepares the meal does the dishes, or in Zora's case, she packs everything up in the dishwasher. I know Mira doesn't see the point of it and I don't either. It's not like we use a lot of dishes and it only takes a few moments to wash everything up and put it all away.

  


"Agni, can I bother you for a minute?" I look up from my game, he's just standing in the doorway, I smile and motion him inside. I lower the screen of my laptop, ease away from it to turn to face him. His cheeks are that adorably red colour I've come to really appreciate on him. I know red is more my colour but it looks fine on his cheeks. I know what I'm feeling, I know in most ways it's absolutely wrong but I know it's benign. It's just a gentle sort of brother affection I feel for him, it'll never really go to places it shouldn't.

"Sure, what can I help you with?" He shifts his weight and I know there's something on his mind but he doesn't want to bother me about it. At times I could shake him—very gently mind you—to try to get him to understand that he's not bothering me, despite what I might say at times. "Out with it, Mira."

He blushes a little but shrugs and I see him wince, it's just a barely there sort of wince but I wish I had noticed it before. I open up my arms and he steps closer and into them with a sigh. "How long has it been hurting?"

The only answer I get from him is a shake of his head and I sigh. "Let's get a shower, we can both put on a suit in case Zora might come home without warning, don't want her thinking we're doing evil and dirty things together the way brothers just shouldn't huh?" 

He does chuckle this time, we've had this conversation before. We feel affection for one another but we know it's because of how we grew up and how close we have been all of our lives. We're not about to start groping or molesting one another though we have no issues with being bared in one another's presence. "A hot shower and I'll rub your shoulders until the ache goes, okay?"

There, now I get a nod out of him and he walks back towards his room. I really wish I'd noticed the tension in his shoulders before. I don't know what he might have done to pull muscles this way, else than try to put books back where they belong if they were out of his reach and struggle with them. It wouldn't really surprise me though it saddens me, really. I wish he'd ask for my help at times like these.

I look for my bathing suit and change into that and I head into the bathroom where we meet up. He grins sheepishly, his way of apologizing for bothering me and I roll my eyes as I get the water going. I get it as steamy hot as I know he'll handle it and we get the waterproof bench settled in there. It's where he'll sit where I work the ache and pain out of him. We could have done it out in my room or his with just the heat from my hands and my gifts but he responds so much better to everything when there is water involved.

I just want him to feel better. I'll do what it takes.


	22. Bouncing

"You want to bury it?"

"Well, not bury it, but I think that if we do buy this trampoline, we might save some broken ankles and arms and what have you, if we set it in the ground. Dig the earth just enough to set the trampoline level and then voila. I'm pretty sure I've seen one particular website that sells just that as is, kits for in-ground trampoline, all we'd really have to worry about is setting it up and I'm sure it can't take that long. Now if we had an earth-gifted demon in our group, that would make things even simpler but we don't." His voice is lightly teasing and I chuckle softly, I guess he has a point, having an earth-gifted demon to dig up a hole for an in-ground trampoline would make things simple.

The idea is interesting though, I have to give him this. A trampoline could be nice. We buy a cover of sorts for the winter so it doesn't rust and we're all set. It might make for interesting times when the weather isn't so hot.

"So what do you think?"

I look back up to him, head lightly to the side, thoughtful really. It's hard to hide the amused grin from my face. He looks so serious. He usually does when it concerns adding or removing something from the yard. I could laugh considering how serious he looks and considering this is all for a trampoline. 

"I could go for the idea of bouncing around on there and I bet the twins would love that kind of entertainment. I mean, we've given them books, they have some games, they have the pool up top but I think there could be more and it'd be a good way to spend an extra bit of energy that might come from being cooped up inside to escape the heat on most days." Lex grins now, his eyes are bright and I know that his idea might be one of the better ones we've had this summer. He usually doesn't really go for anything that has much of a 'fun' factor and at times I think he's forgotten he can be a kid if he feels like it, no one's going to stop him.

"All right, let's go have a look at this website you think you might have seen, I have no idea where you got this idea from but it'll be wonderful, I just know it."

  


And there we are, two weeks after this crazy idea of installing a trampoline in the yard took hold, it happens. The heavy machinery we had to ask for to help with the hold digging showed up (worker to make use of it included) in the early hours of the morning. The trampoline itself had been delivered the day before.

It doesn't take much to get the hold dug up, that is the easiest part. While the guy is doing that, we get to building the trampoline up. I'm not all that good at following paperwork though I know I should be, Lex is the one who makes sure we follow the instructions and the twins are more than happy to help us along. Eventually Lex gives the instructions paper to Armin as he joins us and we have the trampoline built about in the same time frame as the guy who took care of the dirt in the hole.

We set up the sides, we get it in the hole and then we make sure it is level, I think that's what takes longest. Then we fill it partly back up from the inside until we have drifts of dirt halfway up the legs and the retaining wall and we fill up the outside until it is level with the ground again. We set up the venting pads and voila. We have a bit of dirt on the trampoline itself but that will be easy to clear up, it's the least of my worries.

The twins are exchanging wide, curious glances despite that we've told them several times already what it was and what its use was supposed to be. The only rule we have is a no-shoe rule, so while Mira carefully steps onto the trampoline, I hand him a soft-bristled brush and he works the dirt off of the top of their new toy. It's a 'toy' we all can use, I imagine Armin might not but that's not really surprising. I will assume Zora will never approach it. Who knows, I might be able to get Quentin and Yael to give it a try, that would be something to witness.

Once he's done with the broom, he carefully walks to the edge, wobbling a little and he sets the broom down and out of the way. We decided on this particular spot for the trampoline because it gets a lot of shade in the summer so it is somewhat cooler an area. He wobbles back into the center of the trampoline and he stalls again, looking at me as if to ask what he's supposed to do, I can't help myself, I laugh gently. Not at him, just at the situation.

"Just bounce up a down a little, then you'll be able to jump, just be careful." He nods, looks down at his bare feet and the black material beneath them before he begins to bounce just slightly. He's still unsure of himself and I find this absolutely adorable. Eventually though, after a few minutes of just pressing his weight down and letting the trampoline swing him back up, he eventually starts to get into the idea of the thing and his slight bouncing turns into very mild jumps. I'm sure Agni, once he gets to it, will more than likely go for some stunts that will make all of us cringe but that's fine by me, I just want them to be happy.

"Just remember, boys. It's preferable to only have one person on the trampoline at a time, safety and all. No shoes, otherwise it should be fine and good, just be careful and remember to share." Mira is laughing away now and I know this was a good idea. Hell I guess we could set up another one and then there wouldn't be any waiting time but I think that might be spoiling them. They still do need to learn that life isn't about getting what you want exactly when you want it. There's always some work involved with most things in life.

Lex and me, we've had a long life to this day, it's why we're not out on the streets, it's why I don't really work most of the time though Lex does. Not because of the money though, mostly because it keeps him busy. He's so used to keeping his mind going on particular subject or just never really stopping more than a couple of days to enjoy life that doing nothing at all with his days would be a bad idea. I don't mind.

I know Quentin has never really worked a day in his life though he's traveled enough and I supposed he's begged on street corners enough. I don't know all the details of his life as he escaped from Siberia and made it here into Dunkerque. I know he might have worked little odd jobs here but nothing really permanent. Yael has his art. A lot of people seem to think that if you don't work several hours a day, at least four or five days a week, you're not really working but I beg to differ. The twins, well they work now. It's not overly hard work but it is work and I'm glad they have that for themselves. It's teaching them the value of money and, well, hard work.

I guess it's why we give them what we do. They have to learn that life isn't just about having to work to pay for food and a roof and the rest. There is fun to be had, too.


	23. Nervousness

I thought he'd get a date like this before me. I thought he'd be the one some girl, or guy really, would fawn over and giggle over (if it was a girl, at least though I guess guys can too) him and give him their number or invite him out for coffee or something. So when this girl stepped up to me and told me she thought I looked cool and she'd seen me around the library, she wanted to know more about me, I didn't know what to think. If it had been him, I would have been ready to defend him and step up to keep him safe if the person turned out to be an asshole or a jerk but this is me and I don't know what I'm doing.

"Agni, stop pacing." I do stop. I hadn't even realized I was pacing by that point. I smile at him faintly and I shrug sheepishly. He shakes his head and steps into my room. I guess he'd been watching me from the door. "It'll be fine, you're just going out to meet up with a girl who said she thought you were cool. The worst that can happen is you two actually have nothing in common but I bet you'll have plenty in common."

He smiles at me but I can tell by his eyes that he doesn't really know what to make of the situation. This is the first time someone might come in between us. Not in a bad way or in any way that might be permanent, I know, but it's always been just the two of us. Of course there was and always will be Zora too but she's our sister, it's different.

"I'd say you can come with but I don't think she'd know what to do with both of us there at once." I'm trying for humour and I know it mostly fails by the slight scrunching up of his eyes. I shake my head and I turn back to look into the small mirror on my dresser. I'm wearing comfortable clothes, I look like myself and I'm not going to act like I'm someone else entirely. Of course I'm supposed to be human so it's one of those things but that is so ingrained that it's not hard to keep those details in mind.

My watch beeps and I almost jump. Mira laughs and I shoot him a look, I know I'm pouting and it's all his fault, or something at least. I shake my head, straighten with a sigh and I walk to the door. He's not far behind me, just seeing me off, I know and I step outside. "Try to have fun, at least!"

I'm supposed to meet up with Élodie at the coffee shop that's not too far from the library so I know I'm on time. The bus will take me there and drop me off and I still have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing with any of this. I'm baffled and relatively uncomfortable as a whole but I know I can't shun the idea of spending time with someone who isn't family. I know it has to do with that whole 'growing up' thing, in the end.

  


There she is, sitting at one of the tables in the shade outside of the shop and I stop several yards away. I just look at her for a moment while I try to decide if it might not be wise to just run away. I don't think that would work out in my favour. I mean, she spends time in the library, if I take off now and she comes back around, it'll be awkward and I don't handle awkward so well, I know. That's more Mira's area of expertise, he handles it better than me, so much better.

So I do step forward, I step up and I wave at her when she looks up from whatever she's ordered. She smiles brightly and waves back. I guess she's pretty. Her hair is long and it's actually sort of bubble pink at this point, it makes her stand out. She had glasses on when we last spoke in the library but now she doesn't. Maybe she's wearing contacts. She's wearing this little summery dress that falls to her knees.

When I stop by her, she gets up and she hugs me. I freeze for a moment and she laughs, the sound is bright and clear, something settles in me and I sigh. "Sorry, grew up pretty much out of touch with the world."

As if my stiffening up at the presence of her arms would need an explanation. She shrugs and settles down with a sort of smile but there's something there that I can't pick up. I don't know what that look that crossed her face means but I'm not sure I really like it. I shake it off for the time being, no point in trying to make a mess of things when I could just be panicking at this point. I just need to relax.

"I'm gonna go and get myself a coffee." And I disappear inside. At least it gives me a few minutes to try to gather my thoughts. She'd seemed actually pretty sure yesterday when she asked me if I wanted to meet up for coffee. Blushing and all. This sudden hugging thing is a bit weird. I get my coffee, I move back outside and I settle across from her.

The second I'm seated, she actually gets up and moves to sit right next to me. That too confuses me to no end but I leave it be, isn't it easier to talk if you're sitting in front of the person you're meeting? "So tell me about yourself!"

Her voice is a little high pitched, as if she's as nervous as me. I suppose it's an option but it still doesn't explain her sitting so close. She bats her lashes at me and for a moment I wonder why I'm here at all. I know I can't judge someone I've never really gotten to know but something just feels off. Might be her thigh brushing mine. Feels a bit wrong, honestly.

"Well, there isn't much to know-" her hand is on my thigh and that makes me stop dead in my tracks. I mean, it's really high up there on my thigh and I honestly don't think that's normal for folks who're meeting up this way for a first time. I might not know shit about dating and meeting folks and making friends but she's being really, really forward. 

She leans closer to me and I can smell the slightly flowery scent of her perfume. She presses slightly against me and I can feel her breasts against my arm, her lips near my ear. "Let's find somewhere a little more private."

Oh hell no. Does she think I'm some kind of bad boy because my hair is two-toned? Because I'm not like everyone else, because, I don't know? Her hand moves up my thigh and her fingers head into territory they shouldn't and I grab her wrist. A little tight maybe because she winces but she straightens and I let go.

"When you asked me to come here for coffee, I was pretty sure you meant just coffee and getting to know me better. If you want more than that out of me, well you've misunderstood what I might be about because I don't do this kind of thing on a first-meeting basis." The words come out a little more harshly than I intended them to be but honestly I'm a little freaked out. I'm surprised I haven't run off yet.

She looks hurt, her eyes wide as she hugs her wrist to her chest. I shake my head and I stand up, more than fine with leaving my still perfectly good coffee there, I don't think I could stomach it right now, it would be bitter. "Don't give me that look. You're the one invading my personal space and saying we should go somewhere a little more private!"

I'm surprised at how low I'm managing to keep my voice, the words nearly hissed. The look of hurt on her face dissolves into a look of defeat though that defeat is quickly replaced by something I can't define. Scorn? I don't know. "If you come near me or my brother again I will have to remind you not to bother in ways that you might not appreciate."

Threats, I know but I can't believe her, really. I've spoken to enough people at the library to know that not everyone is like that but it still leaves me to wonder as I stalk off and back to the bus stop. I just want to be home. Is this how first meetings with people are supposed to go? I'm pretty sure that whatever she had in mind wasn't all that friend-based. I'm sort of glad she picked me over Mira. He might have gone with her though I know I have no proof of that and I want it to stay that way.

  


"Agni?" I can't help the slamming of my bedroom door when I get back inside. I figure Mira might not have expected me back until I don't know when so when he knocks at my door, I just sniffle and I press my face to my pillow. I don't know what I'm feeling. Betrayed, used, wrongly judged? There's a turmoil there and it is no pretty.

"Agni, please, I'm worried about you. I'm coming in now." He knows that might be a dangerous idea but he does anyway. He opens the door and he slips in. I just press my face closer to the pillow as I still try to make sense of what went wrong. You really can't judge a book by its cover.

By the time he's sitting next to me, I've moved from clinging to my pillow to clinging to him. He only brushes his fingers along my hair while I blurt out everything that happened, what little of it and he goes quiet. After a moment he sighs and he simply keeps on hugging me. It might be all I need right now and it's all I'll settle for. I don't want anything else.


	24. Showers

There he sits, his eyes closed, his head titled back to the sky. He sees without looking. I know he's not asleep, he couldn't be in this weather but that's not the point, really. We're finally getting some rain. We'd had some a little while back and it had poured down hard, we'd both ended up with bruises but this is different. The rain is lighter though it still falls almost in sheets. It doesn't sting as it hits the skin.

I don't think this kind of rain could be considered as showers, it rains a little too hard for what I know is their usual definition of the word but to him, to Yael I can barely see across the street just sitting out in their yard, much in the same way my brother is, it doesn't matter. Rain is rain and it feels wonderful. I can only hear it fall currently, not feel it since I'm safely under the protection of the solarium setup around the pool here up on the roof.

At first the darkness of the clouds had led me to believe we might be in for a storm but so far we've only had rain and not a single hint of rumbling thunder. It's why I was staying inside, I didn't want to chance it but now that it seems mostly safe, that and I know we can take cover within moments if we hear the rumble, I might just join my brother.

Mira and water are like a single entity. I think if he could just float away for the rest of his life in water he'd be happy. In another life he might have been a fish. I chuckle softly at the idea as I pull myself from the shallow area of the pool and I step outside. The rain is as warm as the pool water, warmer still. The air is thick with humidity. I round up the solarium and move to sit at my brother's side. I gently touch his hand to let him know I'm with him and he only smiles without really moving.

Most of the summer so far as been nothing but heat wave after heat wave. It's been difficult to handle. I'm glad for those times when Eoghan offered to drive us to the library and back. I know Mira feels the same and while Armin might not admit to it, I can sort of see it in his face, I think he's a little pleased with life as a whole whenever he can spend some time with Eoghan.

After yesterday where I spent most of my afternoon just sniffling away in misery while I tried to make sense of what Élodie wanted with me, today's rain feels like a whole new beginning. A new sort of clean. I can almost let myself believe that the rain is washing all impurities away and out of my blood, out of my skin.

Without much of a warning, Mira's hand rests on mine and while it startles me, I just let our fingers link. We spend so much time like this in the past, my keeping him safe, our fingers together, keeping him close and protected best I could. I think he's the one protecting me from myself right now.

It had crossed my mind to actually ask Zora if I could get a few piercing in my ears, maybe one on my eyebrow but now I wonder if I should. Not so much because Zora hasn't been around though I bet I could ask Eoghan and he could take on the role of adoptive parent or older brother, but because I wonder if it'll change the way people look at me. With my red and black hair, I know I stand out. It's natural, there's no changing that short of dyeing it and I'm not going to. Will piercing make me look like a bad boy of sorts? It's not what I'm going for, I'm just wanting to experiment with my life.

Mira squeezes my fingers and I sigh. I push away all thoughts and I let them be washed away by the rain. It's wonderful and it helps to lull me into a quieter world.

At times I wish we lived in a tropical place, there could be a waterfall and we could just sit under it and I know Mira would just flat out be in heaven. It's not really going to happen, I know but still. Never know, really. Eventually we could just keep on saving up money and we could go and travel for a while, I know Alexis and Eoghan might not hold it against us. I don't really like the idea of leaving Armin alone in the library though so maybe we'd have to find folks to replace us while we were out and then we'd find another job when we came back.

We're still young, there's plenty of time to dream about these things and travel as we might really want.

  


I don't recall drifting off but I do recall waking up to a gentle bit of breeze and to Mira's fingers squeezing mine again. The rain is barely a drizzle now, more of a shower than what it had been earlier. I blink a little blearily and I look up to him. He has this amused look on his face and I stick my tongue out. I've had a terrible night the night before and I guess I needed a nap. Nothing like a bit of rest in a raining environment. A good idea in summer, not such a good one in winter, so might as well appreciate it for what it is now.

He tugs at me hand and I slowly get up. I really don't know how long we've been there and with the cloud cover it's hard to know what time it is. My stomach grumbles at me however and I know it's been a couple of hours at least.

"Had a good rest?" His words are gentle and genuine, I nod and stretch. I almost spent the night with him last night but I didn't want him to sleep as poorly as I expected to. I'm sort of glad, I wouldn't have wanted to wake him either.

Finally, I release the hold I have on his hand and he merely moves in closer to me to hug me. I sigh and hug him back before we part ways and we start around the solarium. We have to step into the solarium itself to be able to head back downstairs. It makes sense in a way, I wouldn't really want to have to step on a rooftop covered with snow to enter the solarium to be able to use the pool and then have to step back out into the cold.

We dry up a bit before doing much of anything else. Then we head down the stairs, first to the third floor and down to the second where we step inside. There is the faded scent of perfume and we both know Zora's been in briefly and stepped back out again. At times I think she really did find herself a lover and she's mostly living over there for how little we see of her. It doesn't much matter, it changes little to our lives and the way we live it right now, I just wish she'd tell us about it. It's not like we'd judge her for it.

We part ways in the hallway and step into our respective rooms. I change into something dryer and I head into the kitchen to see about preparing something to eat. I'm famished and I guess Mira must be too, really. We ate the same thing this morning though I know I mostly ended up playing with my food, I had no appetite. 

I'm thinking salad with tomatoes and cucumbers, some shredded carrots and who knows what else we might have as leftover in the fridge. I love leftover salads.


	25. Graduation

I'm no teacher, I probably couldn't manage a class of students in a school if I had to. This is different though. This is about helping two teenagers learn more, this is about teaching them the basic of life so that they can, at least, understand what's going on around them. When we first started teaching them both French and English so they'd at least manage around in this country to in a couple of others, we also started them on small things. Lex did most of the work in getting them the necessary books and in acquiring the tests and the rest, I just helped them study, I answered their questions.

Not once they did come to me asking me to solve something for them. They asked for help on how to solve the question itself but not how to solve it exactly, just little hints and tips. For the first few grades, we gave them a couple of months on the basic things, math, mostly. Then we each gave them one of the required tests and sat them on opposite ends of the room, just to be sure. Mira aced all of his tests and Agni, while not managing as well, was never quite far from his brother.

At this point, they're still learning bits and pieces of what they would have learned in their last couple years of high school. The subjects are a bit more difficult to learn at this point but they're making great progress, it's wonderful. I think that with the standardized test,they'll be able to 'graduate' in a few more months, maybe in a year at most. That way we'll be able to finally write them up résumés and if they ever do want to work elsewhere they'll have something to show for it.

I know Mira is more than comfortable working at the library as it is but I know that at times Agni gets bored with the work there. So who knows, maybe one of these days he'll try to find a job elsewhere.

"What are you plotting over there?" I look up, Lex is freshly out of Adela's room, there's sweat on his brow and the house as a whole is comfortable enough to not warrant that kind of bodily reaction to heat. I shrug and I look back down to the papers I have scattered over the table. Since we've really completely and absolutely sold the other building back to folks we knew would take good care of it and its residents (though I still think they're all old idiots who should be in a nursing home), I haven't really had much to keep myself busy so I've kept a close watch on the kids' 'grades'. Lex does the work to get the paperwork and books and tests and I just keep track of the rest.

"Just telling myself that before too long, few months, next year more than likely, these two will be good and ready to go through the standardized testing and we might very well be able to 'graduate' them from our little schooling bits. I'm also wondering what I'll do with myself then." I know I'm trying to keep it from my voice but it's not always easy, that little note that tends to give me away.

He sighs and steps closer to me, wiping the sweat from his brow and partly drying his hand on his hip. It'll dry so it's not much of an issue to either of us, that habit. "We really need to get you something to do, huh?"

I shrug, a wry smile to my lips as I look up to him. I close my eyes when he brushes his hand over my cheek and I simply lean against the touch. "I'm like you, Lex. I'm used to keeping busy. When it wasn't the bar, it was the building and when it wasn't that, I was taking care of little jobs here and there. I just feel restless."

He leans down, kisses the top of my head and pulls out a chair to sit next to me. For a moment he only looks at the papers on the table before his gaze settles on me. "We'll find you something to do. There's an old building not far from downtown, one of the buildings that was somewhat grazed by the fires. It only needs a little work. It has huge rooms, a pretty big kitchen. You're always trying to help others, how about we get that building fixed up and you turn it into a shelter of sorts? Be it for kids on the run or for anyone and everyone who needs a roof. You could offer food and rooms."

The idea is interesting but I have one issue with it and I know he knows the flaw is in there. "I don't want to just give them something so they can take it and be done with it. I know if I open a shelter, I'll have visitors, there are homeless folks out there and I know that they are down on their luck but it doesn't mean they should just take without giving some back."

I pause and I watch his face, as if to see if he knows where I'm going with this. There's a slight quirk of his lips and I know he knows, I guess we've been together so long that we could do more than just finish one another's sentence if we try.

"I'd want them to help in turn. For one night they could help with the preparation of one meal or they could help with the cleaning. I could open it up for teens, set it up that for such and such, you'd have to help out and do such and such around the place. We could just build up from the ground up right next door and-"

"I don't know that this one part of the idea might work, Eoghan. Think about it. You set them up next door and they know you're right here. You think if there ever are small issues they'll ever let you get any sleep? No, I think it'd just be easier if we saw about renovating the building downtown. That way, even if there are some issues, they can't just cross over and come knocking on the door demanding that you come and fix up whatever is wrong at that point."

I guess he has a point, that's a detail that I hadn't really thought about. Well there's time, I figure. If the building he's talking about is the one I'm thinking of, it only has been somewhat singed by the fire but it has been abandoned for a while, it already was abandoned when I first moved into the city. I don't know that anyone will come around to fix it up any time soon and they can't really just tear it down, it's a landmark of sorts from what I've learned of it.

They're just waiting for the right person to come along, more than likely with enough money to make it worth their while. I'll look into it. It would keep me occupied though I'd still have to make time for Armin and the twins, for the shared suppers and everything else. I'll give it a lot of thought and then I'll just look around a little more. Maybe I'll just buy the building, renovate it and rent it out. I'm not looking for more money, I don't need more money but running a shelter might take more time than I'm really willing to put into it, unless I can hire folks to be around when I couldn't.

Still, plenty of time but it's a good idea. I like fixing up buildings and giving them a second chance. Maybe I'll set it up as a restaurant, that's something else Lex brought up a while ago, it could be interesting. I'll think about it all.


	26. Worst Case

He's been reading this book since we got home from the small little boutique just across the street from the bakery and park. It's a small place that sells a few books, a few CDs, a little bit of this and that. His book is small, he should have been done with it by now and I still have no idea what it's about. We each bought our own book. I was at the till before him with my book filled with recipes from all over the world. That thing is a brick and I'll be looking at it a little every day to see if I can't find new and simple recipes for us to try. 

I had just stepped outside when he walked up to the till with this tiny little, bright yellow book. He almost started reading it on the walk home and I had to stop him. He opened it to look inside and was nearly bowled over by a guy on his bicycle. Neither one of them were looking where they were going. At times, I swear.

"Quentin?" Finally he tears his gaze away from the book. I'm not a jealous person, I'm just curious as can be to know just what kind of book he's been so engrossed in. Sure it's only been fifteen minutes but he's never been much of a reader, that's why I'm so curious.

"Just what are you reading? You've had your nose in that book the moment we crossed the threshold, to the point, you nearly tripped on Astra but she moved out of the way just at the last moment." He looks sheepish for a second and he puts a bookmark on his page, he,s almost halfway through the book, and he closes it.

"It's a book on survival."

"Survival." That's a new one to me. I don't know why he'd need a book on survival but if he feels the need I can't really stop it. He laughs at my parroting and he shakes his head.

"Not that kind. It's just a kind of 'worst case scenario' thing. It tells you how to escape a mountain lion and bees and how to take a punch and whatnot." 

I'm still not sure why he got the book at all but I guess I now know what he did buy. That is the information I was after, in the end. "Well if it keeps you entertained."

He snickers again, a quietly amused sound and I leave it be. It won't hurt either one of us if he reads through that book, so long as he does it while sitting down and so long as he doesn't start to read it out loud. I can imagine that it may just be useful to know how to survive a mountain lion attack but I don't see the need, we don't even have mountain lions here. At least I'm pretty sure we don't.

  


I'm pretty sure he's read the book cover to cover a few times already because he still has his nose in it and we've been home for a few hours now. Do I feel abandoned? Not really, at least he hasn't moved from his spot and hasn't walked on any of the cats though he's shooed three of them away one after the other when they came to him for the usual affection. 

Maybe he stopped reading it for a while and got back to it too, after he shooed them away, I just got up and went into the cat room. If they were wanting affection I'd be giving it to them, I had nothing else to do at that point and I had no desire to be an 'artist' as it is. I didn't feel like drawing.

So I played with them. Exhausted the five youngest early on while Areli and Lavi both kept coming for more. After a while though they caved in to the desire for rest and they plopped down with the rest. That's when I stepped out again and there he was, still reading that book.

I went into the kitchen, prepared us something to snack on. I left his in the kitchen because we don't eat in the living room unless it's popcorn of fruit bowls. These are the only exception. If he's hungry, he'll come for his food. I put it under its protective cover, ate my food and I disappeared off into my studio.

If he was going to spend his day reading a book that I know from the size of it could be read in about half an hour or an hour if you're really slow to read, then I'd just do something else with my time. It's been a while I've seen him so engrossed in something, I just wish it wasn't that book. Not that I can stop him from liking whatever book he wants, it's just a little depressing.

  


When he knocks at the closed door to my studio to see if that's where I am, the sun has lowered itself considerably over the horizon. It is splashing colours everywhere. Today has been a beautiful day, the weather nice, it would have been a wonderful day for an outing of sorts somewhere.

I sigh at the first knock and I look at my mostly empty sketchbook. I ended up staring off most of the time I spent in there, too busy wondering about when he'd be done with his book. I'm not pleased with myself, not one little bit but there's nothing I can really do about it at this point.

I close the book, set it and my pencil away. I look at the door as he knocks a second time. He knows the way this works. If I don't usually answer within a certain amount, he can knock a second time, just to be sure I might not have just not heard the first knock. At the second knock, I ease to my feet and I step to the door to pull it open. I lean against it somewhat, my gaze down to him as I study him a moment. He looks sheepish and I suppose he might have realized he just spent his day reading and re-reading that book.

"I lost track of time?" His words are as sheepish as his face. All I can do is quirk a brow as I still look down at him. Is that really his reasoning?

"Honestly Quentin, three times they came to you for some form of affection and you just waved them away as if they were completely insignificant." He winces slightly and I roll my eyes. I step forward and he steps back to give me the room to at least get out of my studio.

"If you'd spent your time in your work room I would have understood but this is a book that I'm pretty sure you were done reading really quickly. I just want to understand."

He shrugs, uncertain and he drops his gaze. "I don't know, Yael. There just was something to it that I kept on reading it over and over again, I'm pretty sure I know it by heart at this point and it's not that interesting knowledge to have."

I sigh and I reach out to muss his hair gently. "All right, fine, just this once. Come on, I bet you haven't even eaten the food I set out for you so we might as well see about preparing us something for supper. We'll be looking through my new cooking book for an idea. You can spend an hour or two with the cats after as punishment for ignoring them utterly when you honestly didn't have a good reason to."

It's not a bad punishment. We both know this. It's just an exhausting one and I figure that if I exhaust him before we get to bed, it'll be like the cats, he'll sleep deeply and I might not have to hear him mumble in his half-sleep about what he's read in the book.


	27. Electricity

When everything flickered off, just an hour after we'd stepped into the library, I knew we were in for a very long day. Now and again, the whole electrical system fails, it throws the whole library into the dark, the systems are useless. I'm just glad today is bright and sunny, else this place would have been dark. Usually, when the system fails and when electricity no longer reach us, we close the library for the day. It's too dark most of the time and people can't find what they're looking for.

I'm from the generation where things were slowly beginning to change. I know how to look for a book's index card, I know how to locate that book from that card but a lot of the younger folks who come here only know how to look for things through the computer. When the system first failed while I was working here in my first months, the boss had been talking about how we could replace the card system with the scanner system.

I don't know how I managed to persuade him to keep both, just in case. When someone takes out a book, we scan it into the system but we also have them sign the little card we take from the book and stamp it with the required return date. That way, if the system does go blank the way it has today, folks can still take books out. We have the sticker with the code bar we scan both on the spine of the book and on the double of the card we pull from the book. So folks take it out, we stamp it and when the system comes back on, we scan those and input the proper dates. It's the only way, really.

The place had been mostly empty when everything clicked shut. I heard one of the boys stumble down his stool in the far back where he'd been placing books. The back gets dark, the windows don't really go that far. The front area of the library is filled with bright light though it'll only be there for a few hours, after that we'll mostly be in the dark so I know people won't stay around long. I've put up the sign to warn them that we have no electricity, thus no computers.

  


"Why is it so dark suddenly?" There comes Agni, rubbing one of his shoulders lightly. I assume he's the one who fell from his stool.

"Are you all right?" He nods and sits at the desk for a few moments.

"Just hit my shoulder on the shelves when I tripped. I was startled when everything went dark, what happened?"

I motion for him to step closer, he does and lifts his shirt lightly. I can see the hint of a bruise there but I know it'll be gone before too long, I'm not too worried. "System has failed, something downstairs has decided to stop working, it happens every few months. I keep on telling the boss he needs to have the whole system rewired but he refuses to, says it'll be too expensive. It gets bad when it happens in winter since it also controls the heat. No electricity, no heat."

I shake my head and I gently pat his other shoulder. I know he'll be all right, at least. "I called the usual guy on the only phone that keeps on working even during a blackout. He'll be here tomorrow morning. How about you go and check to make sure your brother isn't stuck somewhere?"

His eyes widen in realization and he before he can take off running, I gently snag his wrist and from beneath the counter I locate our trusty flashlight. "Be careful."

I know there are no real dangers in the library but still, it does get dark in the back and they were both out there when the lights went off. Mira could very well be lost. It can almost be impossible to find your way towards the front without light. It's near impossible to see any light from back there so I know how it goes. I'm sure Agni will find his brother without too much of an issue.

  


People who come into the library only to be told that there is no electricity turn back. One or two come but go when the light changes and the front of the place is almost as dark as the back. Agni and Mira came back in one piece almost half an hour after I'd sent one to find the other. The place is pretty much empty as afternoon begins to settle. I send the boys off to get the battery powered lights from the closets so we can get a bit of light out here in the front at the very least.

I think I'l be asking Eoghan if it's possible to get some solar powered lights. I could set them in the front windows in the morning and they'd be a bit of light in the dark when it settles. I wish this place had emergency lights but we don't even have that much. At least we have a sprinkler system but I don't think it'd do us much good in the long run. I shouldn't complain about this place but I can't help it.

I love books but this is pushing it. This place is not even half safe, I'm constantly worried that the shelves might tumble if they're handle a bit roughly or if someone leans against their base. There's no light when it's dark, the electric system is flaky and I'm pretty sure that could be the cause of fire eventually. It hurts, the idea that this place could burn down and while I hate to think this way, it might be the only way to get anyone to see how unsafe it is.

If only the guy who owns the building would sell it to someone else. It's not that much hard work, or at least I imagine it shouldn't be. Though I guess it might be more work than I know but the guy doesn't even like to read. Why have the building filled with books if he hates them? It makes no sense.

The twins set out the little lamps, lighting a slight path from the door to the desk and all around the desk area. We can at least mostly see where we're going. The stained glass windows are absolutely beautiful and I don't recall ever seeing anything quite this beautiful before but when the sun isn't shining directly into them, the place is in near dark automatically.

"I won't send you two out to set the books back where they belong. We now all know how dark this place is and it's dangerous as it is. Unless you two absolutely want to. You could go home, I wouldn't hold it against either one of you."

They exchange a look, a silent discussion and Mira shakes his head with a smile. "Well, Agni could hold onto the flashlight while I put the books back or I could hold it while he puts the books back. We might not get them all done but at least we'd get some of them set up where they should be."

I guess that could be a plan. I nod somewhat. "If that's what you two want to do, I won't stop you, just be careful. If any of the books come from the upper shelves, leave them be until we have enough light to see where we're going, okay? Take one of the lamps from here and leave it on the book carrier so it can be moved around more easily."

It's wonderful that these two are willing to stay. I can imagine that plenty other teenagers would not have had to be told twice that they could leave since I was dark, they would have left. I'm glad they're staying.


	28. Folk Singer

The music that comes not quite pouring out of his room is something I've never heard before. Not that I can claim I know music that well, we'd never stopped anywhere in the past to really listen to any coming from anywhere. All I really recall music-wise from when were young and still on the run is Zora humming some sort of lullaby to help us sleep at night.

Of course, after that, when we settled here with Alexis and Eoghan, we got to learn more about music in general. Armin, at the library, always has a radio playing ever softly behind his desk. It's mostly background noise since the library is supposed to be quiet but it's a nice little extra to the days when it's quiet. Especially last time when the electricity just sort of died on us. The radio is battery powered so it was a plus in the growing darkness of the place.

For a minute I know I ponder just leaving it be. I know our tastes for most things in life differ but we still share a lot of things. I should be studying for a test Eoghan said we'd be taking in a couple of days but I really can't focus on that. I work best in quiet. I thought he did too but I guess I might be wrong. We really are growing up.

I could close my door but I don't see where that would lead me. I like being able to hear what's going on in the apartment when it's just the two of us the way it's been for a bit now with Zora just leaving us notes about how she's 'working late' or how she's spending the night out with a friend. We don't see much of her.

  


I guess curiosity did get the better of me. I'm not sure how long I've been standing in the frame of his door, leaning just slightly against it and listening to the music. It's not bad music but it's different. Unlike me, he is studying and I guess at times our roles can be switched around. Then again, I understand and have memorized pretty well what we're going to be quizzed about so I don't really need to study much about it.

Eventually though he does close his book and I take that moment to lightly clear my throat. He jumps lightly and I laugh, I try to keep the sound soft. After a moment I shake my head, step inside and I apologize quietly. I sit on the corner of his bed as he pushes his books away somewhat. He reaches for the music player, to turn it off I guess but I shake my head.

"I've never heard that kind of music, where is it from?" He leaves the player alone though he lowers the volume just slightly. It wasn't that loud to begin with but it is soft now, just a little louder than Armin usually keeps the radio playing at the library.

"It's folk music." The blank look on my face must amuse him because he begins to snicker and he explains in a short few sentences what folk music is about. I nod, I think I understand what he's saying but it's still somewhat a misery. I'm sure after I look it up online it'll make more sense to me. I don't mind doing that.

"This is one particular singer, I heard people talking about it on the street while we were waiting for the bus a few weeks ago and I guess I got curious. You know how I am when it comes to learning about new things and trying new things." Yes I know, trying new things in particular. Learning about them usually is more my thing than his. I chuckle softly and I shake my head. I'm glad he's exploring different music types, it can't hurt.

I'm learning that I personally prefer keeping to softer melodies, I've fallen in love with most classical songs I've heard so far and most things from home, of course. I don't mind listening to a little bit of everything else but my very slowly growing collection of music is mainly Mozart, Vivaldi, Beethoven and others of that sort.

"I should be studying. I was listening to your music from my room." He looks apologetic for a second and I shake my head. "It wasn't too loud, don't worry about it. But I was listening to it and I was curious about it so I just sort of stayed at your door for a while to listen to it. I saw you studying and I guess I was amused by the sight since it's usually the other way around."

"Well it's not like you need to study, you know all of this stuff by heart, you're constantly talking about it." It's my turn to feel sheepish, apologetic. I know I talk about a lot of stuff and plenty of it might just be nonsense to everyone who's ever been around or near me. I just get so excited when I learn something new that I have a hard time not talking about it. I'm a big sponge but I guess I've got issues with keeping it in.

He grins again and shakes his head lightly. I leave him be and I head back towards my room since I know that despite thinking I recall everything on the subject, there might just be bits and pieces I don't recall.

  


Zora comes home in the late evening, she looks like she's glowing, like she's had one of the best days of her life, that or she's just had some good sex. Not that I'm an expert but I've heard Eoghan talking about it and I've read about it how some folks seem to 'glow' after that kind of thing. I don't really get it but I guess that's the vibe I got from her when she got in.

She didn't even talk to her, she just came in, humming to herself and went straight to her room. She came back out after about ten minutes, went about preparing a meal (that wasn't even needed because she'd left us a note that she wouldn't be home, we'd already eaten), ate her portion, put the rest in the fridge and she disappeared back into her room.

I really don't know what's going on with her and I'm not sure I want to ask. I'm pretty sure she's not looking for an apartment at this point. She might have been before but now she's just spending all of her time outside at nearly all hours of the night and she barely comes home from wherever she goes. I don't know what Agni thinks about it but I try to no longer let it disturb me. It shouldn't keep me awake. She's a grown woman, she can make her own choices about whatever she does in life. 

I still just wish we had some idea of what was going on so we'd know what we're doing with life in general. I guess, in a way, it's like she doesn't really exist anymore. Like she's moved on with her life and left us two on our own. It's not much of an issue, we'll be seventeen in a few months and I know Eoghan would look after us if anything happened.

We have jobs, we have a roof over our heads and we've got food. We can prepare it ourselves, we keep ourselves clean and we do what we have to on a daily basis. There's not much else to that. Still I might talk to Agni about it a little later. 

Though maybe not that much later because she's going again. She's out of her room again and I guess she just came home to shower, change and eat. Her clothes are different, her hair is still moist and she's out of the apartment. Doesn't matter. I guess.


	29. High Class

I have seen a lot of people while I was trying to escape my life at the orphanage. I'd even have to say that I seen and met a lot of people while I was in the orphanage. When I was so very young and Sterling still was alive, I saw an odd pair. At least to me they were odd. They came to see if they could not find a little girl. We didn't have a lot of those and the one we had wasn't to their liking. They didn't even spare a glance at the boys. I don't honestly know why they came to our orphanage that day, the way they were dressed, the way they spoke, they held their head up high as if looking towards any of us would be a terrible sight to behold.

I was sitting with Sterling when they came to the door and when Rosalind was brought out to meet them. They took one look at her, the woman turned her gaze away as if poor Rosie was an ugly monster, the man at her side looked at Rosie a moment, had her spin slowly where she stood and he shook his head. He looked like he apologized for their visit and they went on their way. The woman looked like she wanted to be as far away from this place as possible.

When they were gone, I turned to Sterling, eyes wide and full of question and he bopped me on the nose. 

"They were high class, richy-rich folks looking for a pet project or something." Is what he told me before I could even ask him anything at all. I blinked at him, clearly confused and he rolled his eyes, motioning towards the window towards the clean and shiny black car they walked to. A man in a long coat opened the door on one side and they both slipped in. That was so strange to me.

"They're rich, have money. You can tell from the clothes and the car and the chauffeur. I'm pretty sure the woman thinks we're all ugly and ill here, not worth a glance, her husband looked a little more down to earth, I guess he married her and she was the one raised with the silver spoon."

He wasn't making much sense honestly but I guess the information sort of stuck to my mind.

  


Even after all these years.

It was so nice outside, the weather so comfortable that we decided that our supper and movie night would happen downtown. We all piled into the minivan and we drove down into the heart of the town. Alexis said he'd made reservations at a new Indian restaurants. He mentioned something about how it'd been a while since we'd last had anything of Indian roots to eat. After the meal we've made plans to head to the theatre. I'm not sure which movies are currently playing.

When Eoghan parked the minivan, we all got out, piled out really. The twins even helped Armin out just to be sure he was fine. It's adorable.

I don't know why I noticed the couple across the street from where we were parked. They didn't stand out much but I guess they stood out enough that I remembered what Sterling had told me all those years ago. In their case, it was mostly how they stood, tall and strong, as if nothing could bother them. She held her nose somewhat in the air, as if the idea of walking was not an interesting one. He looked like he was doing his best to make her happy, he kept on pointing to things in boutique windows, maybe trying to get her attention on something so that he could buy it for her. Maybe it was something else, I really don't know.

To me, right at that moment, their presence reminded me of the couple as they had visited the orphanage though it hardly was that. They'd come in, stayed in the foyer, she'd looked ready to turn and leave, repulsed and he was trying to be the good, outgoing and gentle one in their relationship.

I didn't judge them then. I won't judge this pair now. I mean, I could compare these two and the couple from my past to Alexis and Eoghan, the differences are all there. They have money but they don't really go out of their way to flaunt it, they don't act like snobs. Quentin has money too but he lives a simple, quiet sort of life.

"Yael?" I look back, startled for a moment and I smile lightly. I reach out to Quentin, letting my hand rest into his outstretched one. I murmur a light apology and follow him and the others towards the restaurant. It has been some time since I've last had any sort of Indian food so this is going to be a treat. 

I'm not sure what movie we'll be going to watch afterwards but I don't think it really matters.

  


I'm not sure I even recall what the movie was about. I was so full from the supper that I think I ended up dozing off during most of it, Quentin nudged me away when the credits started to roll, just before the lights came back on. We all piled back into the car, Eoghan dropped us off at our door even though we're just a few paces away from where he parked and Quentin unlocked the door before letting us in.

"Did you know them?"

I blink at his question, tilting my head to the side. He chuckles softly as one of the kitten climbs up his pant leg and he pulls the purring ball to his arms. "The couple you were looking at when we all got out of the car."

Ah, them. I'm surprised he's asking me now. I guess he thought it might have been something private, it's sweet of him. I shake my head in answer as I leave my shoes in the foyer. We both step further inside, all doors closed after we made sure all the cats were inside and not in the foyer itself.

"I didn't know them, it's just that they reminded me of a couple I saw at the orphanage while I was still young. Sterling called them the high-class richy-rich folks." I laugh softly at the words, dropping to carefully sit on the couch where he settles next to me. Within moments we have ourselves several purring bundles settles with us. I know that in a few moments I'll go off to check on their food and water, Quentin will have a clean up of the litter boxes to do.

"It's just in the way she was walking I guess, the little upward tilt of her face, as if she was looking down at everyone, the way she was dressed. He reminded me of the woman's husband." So I do tell him about the pair, I figure it's pointless not to at this point. I have nothing to hide from him.

He shakes his head with a soft grunt. "Just about all of the money I have at this point came from this one old man. He didn't act rich. I honestly taught he was poor as could be. I needed a roof and he needed company and a little help. I offered both. I know I can be an asshole most of the time when it comes to the stupidity of humans but he was different, there was something about him that called to me."

I know that 'high class' is just a label, one of so many for different people. There's not a lot to do about it, really. I try not to judge people. I don't want to be judged so I do what I'd like folks to do when they meet me. It doesn't work often but at times some people can appreciate not being treated differently.


	30. Random Laughter

I don't know who the idiot is but I wish he'd shut up. There is nothing funny about what's going on in the movie but he keeps on just randomly laughing for no reason at all. Oh I'm sure he has his reasons but the way I see it, they're not valid. No one else is laughing and I can hear the mutter of displeasure from everyone around us.

I suppose I could reach out, feel for his mind and give him a bit of a swat but I don't imagine it would do much good. It might confuse the guy for a bit but I'm sure he'd be back to his random and pointless reactions before too long.

On my left, his breathing slow and steady, Yael rests, I'm amused more than anything else. On his other side, Quentin keeps on sneaking glances his way. When he catches me looking, he smiles sheepishly in the darkness and I answer with a shrug. If he's tired and if the movie's just not his thing, I don't mind. I know he tends to nod off now and again during the movies even at home. On my right, Lex is trying to pay attention to the movie but I know he's getting annoyed at the moron sitting several rows to the front of us with his pointless bouts of laughter. On his other side, the twins sit and at the end of the row, for easier access for him, Armin.

We argued a bit about the movie we were going to watch, we nearly went into separate shows but didn't. We solved the issue the way we do at home with the shared dinners. The person who picks the movie each week rotates, so I think we've watched a bit of everything to this point. Not everyone has appreciated it all but that's aside the point, it gives us an insight on what others like.

The guy laughs again and several bags of popcorn are thrown at the particular individual. He's not laughing now. I don't know if he thinks he's funny but he's not really. No one is laughing with him. Though I suppose science fiction like this might be funny to some, it isn't for just about everyone else. Now if it had been one of those TV movies like Sharktopus or Ice Spiders, then I wouldn't have minded the guy laughing, most of these movies are interesting in their own way but they're worth a laugh most of the time.

After the popcorn bit, the laughing guy is mostly quiet though not utterly so. He doesn't laugh much anymore, he mostly just snickers at certain scene. I really could punch that guy if he was closer. I think flinging popcorn at him isn't really the way to go at it but it still mostly got the job done.

  


When the credits begin to roll but just before the lights are turned on, Quentin nudges Yael and he slightly startles awake. Most of the time, height aside, it usually ends with Quentin carrying Yael back to their place though I tend to go with, just in case. I don't underestimate Quentin, he's strong for his stature and Yael is slight, he weighs near to nothing—something that worries me still to this day—so they make it home safe and sound without an issue. This is different though, carrying Yael out might be a little awkward with all the folks heading out of the showing.

People on the other side of Quentin look at him expectantly for a minute or two before they realize none of us are really budging yet and they get out from their side instead. We wait until most everyone is out before we get out, this case mostly again for Armin's sake. He was on the edge and we all knew we'd wait until the end. As is, none of us like to leave before the credits are done. It's unfair for all the people whose hard work went into this movie to go unseen. 

I know a lot of people wouldn't really care but it matters to me. So by the time the credits were over, the whole place was just about empty and we started filing out and back into the van.

  


"I was so tempted to fling something at this guy, preferably something heavy and wet." Mira's quiet voice pipes up from the back on the short drive home. Agni snickers lightly from next to him and I can see Lex's lips quirk somewhat.

"I think it crossed most of our minds during the viewing, Mira. He was annoying. I'm surprised he didn't get more popcorn thrown at him but I guess he finally realized he wasn't really making any friends while being an ass." I shrug as I turn us into the road that will take us back to our home.

Yael is still trying to rub the sleep from his eyes so once I'm at their building, I slow down and stop to let them out. I know it's just a few paces from where I'll be parking this thing but I figure it's easier this way. Quentin looks back my way with a slightly grateful smile to his lips. I even wait until they are inside before I get the vehicle moving the last few yards into our own driveway and everyone gets out and stretches.

"Laughing guy aside, it was a good movie and I'm glad we all watched it."

"Several of the details went right over my head, I mean I get it, it's science fiction and stuff won't really all make sense but most of it didn't really make sense. Can we watch Apollo 18 over the next supper?"

"Well it's not really your time to pick but we'll see." Agni pouts but I shake my head and I muss his hair gently as we start on our way towards the front door. Once inside, we leave Armin on the first floor where he walks off towards his door. On the second floor we're about to leave the twins be when the idea crosses my mind.

"It's not all that late and I assume Zora won't be coming home again tonight, you two could come up and watch that movie in the movie room, once you're done you can head back down, yes?" Agni's eyes brighten as he looks to his brother, hoping for the same kind of positive answer and we simply climb up to the third floor instead of leaving the twins alone on the second.

"Won't we be a bother?"

I shake my head at the question, unlocking the door to let them in. "I have reading to catch up on and I know Lex was wanting to just relax for a while, we have a few things planned out for the upcoming few days that needed a lot of prep work. So you two watch the movie, keep the volume to a respectable level and once you're done, just turn it all off and be on your way. Though it won't hurt if you bid us goodnight before you head back, yes?"

Mira blushes, as if guilty of leaving without saying anything and he moves to follow his brother towards the movie room.

Lex leaves his shoes by the door and stretches as he wanders off towards our bedroom. I know he's only going to go and change so I give him that much time without my being all over him because I know I could but I won't. Instead, I leave my shoes next to him and I drop to settle on the couch where I've left my book. It'll be good to read in the quiet and peace of home. The laughing idiot almost did ruin the movie, I'm glad popcorn did most of the trick in getting him to understand he was a big annoyance.


	31. bowl of ___________

When he stepped into my room with two bowls of ice cream, I knew he wanted to ask me something. Usually, when he's feeling like ice cream, he asks me if I want some before bringing two bowls over, mine, almost overflowing to the top while his is only half filled. The image of it always amuses me. Today's visit doesn't. I'm not sure what to make of it but I know he's not likely to waste his time before he asks me about whatever he came to ask me.

I take the bowl he offers me as I sit up on my bed. I'd just been lounging, relaxing, really. He settles next to me but he looks small, his shoulders are curved inward as if he's trying to almost be invisible. He sighs, looks down into his bowl of dessert then back up to me. "I know you probably don't want to talk about this, Agni but I feel like it's still bothering you because you never come up to the desk anymore when she's around and it's just not like you. Want to tell me what happened with what's her face on that date she invited you out to? You came back looking like you'd been hit with something smelly and you never told me about it."

His voice is soft and uncertain but there is a gentle begging note beneath it all, I know he's not trying to pry, he's just worried about me and I suppose I can't blame him. I don't know that I want to talk about this thing though. It still feels painfully fresh in my memory and I know I avoid the front desk when I spot her in the library. She's hard to miss. I wish she'd just stop coming altogether. Finally, it's my turn to sigh as I look down to the cold bowl in my hands. I don't know if I feel like eating it right now.

"Switch?" The single word is not unusual in our conversation and he nods, he straightens slightly and I move to sit with my back to his. We pretty much just lean back against one another. We've done this since we were little kids and it stuck, really.

I breathe in deeply, trying to will my mind to think back to that 'date' that went absolutely to hell because either she misjudged me or I just misjudged her to no end.

"I got to the coffee place, she was there, waiting. I admit she's pretty and I thought it'd be nice to just talk to her. I go inside to get a coffee, I come back out to settle in front of her, I mean, that's where you settle when you want to talk to someone face to face, right?" He makes a little noise in the back of his throat and I know he's agreeing to the thought, to the idea that sitting face to face is easier, at least for still mostly-strangers.

"So I sit down and just like that she moves and she sits next to me. I'm like, okay, sure, a little in my personal space but I'll leave it be for now. A second later she has her hand on my thigh, she's moving it up higher still and she whispers in my ear about how we should find somewhere more private!" I know I'm getting angry now, angry or hurt, I'm not sure. I feel my chest tighten and I know my cheeks are wet. Behind me, Mira stiffens and a sort of growl escapes from his throat. I laugh softly and the hurt fades away. "Mira, stop that."

His shoulders drop and he mumbles a soft apology. I lean my head back against his for a moment and I know we're still on good terms and we're fine.

"So I just got up and I told her-" I blink and I frown for a moment, my mind is blank, "well I can't recall what I told her but I just left, I walked back to the bus and I came home and that's it. I thought she'd be nice, I thought we could have things in common but she just wanted sex out of me." The hurt wells up again though it is dim and after a few moments of silence, it fades back to nothing.

Before I can really register what's going on, Mira has moved away from me, he's put his bowl on the night stand and without his back to lean on and without any warning that he was going to move, I topple backward. Thankfully, I'd already set my own bowl down though I don't remember when I did. I crane my neck to look up to him and he looks absolutely upset. I know why though and I shake my head as I get up and round the bed to pull him closer, to just hug him fiercely to my chest.

"That is not your fault. We didn't know what she'd be like and we gave it a chance. You didn't twist my arm and you didn't force me to go. We both thought it'd be just friendly chatting over coffee and she turned out to be more of a sexual predator of sorts than anything else. You are not going to be blaming yourself for this, do I make myself clear, Mira?"

I suppose that my need to protect him is good in helping me forget about my hurt about the whole situation. I feel him nod feebly against my shoulder where he's resting his head and I hear him sniffle softly. "Looks like our ice cream is seconds away from a meltdown, how about a smoothie instead?"

  


Smoothies are a lot less common than ice cream as a treat to us because it's such a new discovery. We found out about them after Eoghan had walked with us near downtown and we'd stopped at an ice cream shop, of course both we'd decided on soft ice cream in a cone but Eoghan had asked for a smoothie and we were curious so we asked him what he was and instead of just explaining, we each had ourselves a sip.

Now we're just sitting up on the roof, I think it's our spot. Sitting on the edge, sipping from our smoothies. The sun is bright, almost blinding but I don't mind. It keeps me from looking anywhere or focusing at much of anything other than Mira's presence at my side, so close we could touch if we just shifted half an inch closer and the coolness of the smoothie between my fingers.

We've left behind the discussion we had while in my room and he hasn't mentioned doing anything to her since we prepared the smoothies. I think that's mostly what I was hoping for. I need to stop being a coward and I need to stop hiding away when I see her. I've done nothing wrong but I think that if I'd given her just a single chance she might very well have had her way with me. I'm not ready for that and I honestly don't even want to do that kind of thing yet, let alone with a stranger.

I want to believe I'm not wrong in believing I was wronged. I suppose I should talk to an adult about it. Talking to Zora is a bad idea, she's not even around lately and she'd just freak out. I don't really want to bother Armin with that kind of thing so I guess it mostly leaves Alexis and Eoghan. If I can find the courage in my veins to bring it up to them I will. Maybe it'll help me overcome this need to hide from her. I shouldn't be hiding, after all. I've done absolutely nothing wrong. I just went out to meet with someone who visited the library, who borrowed sensible books and who looked like she couldn't hurt a single fly. I suppose looks can be misleading.


End file.
